S Or S
by Yuna Yami Mouto
Summary: The war is over, everyone is back and the Avengers are together, working like a well oiled machine once again. Right? But what if a different Mechanic comes for a visit? What cracks and rusty cogs will he see? And what troubles will he bring from his own workshop? Or: It might be the first time Tony hated science right alongside magic.
1. Chapter 1

**S Or S**

**Summary: The war is over, everyone is back and the Avengers are together, working like a well oiled machine once again. Right? But what if a different Mechanic comes for a visit? What cracks and rusty cogs will he see? And what troubles will he bring from his own workshop?  
Or: It might be the first time Tony hated science right alongside magic.**

It started out as a normal day, really. Well, as normal a day as any can get with the Avengers and especially after the defeat of Thanos. It was just your ordinary crazy thing happening in Central Park for no good reason and, of course, all the Avengers were dispatched. No one wanted to risk it after Thanos and the Snap business. The only ones not present were the sorcerers and Tony got word from Strange that he and Wong will be arriving shortly.

Which only made sense since the fucking portal opening in the middle of New York was definitely their specialty and not the Avengers'. Mystic Arts and such magic bullshit should be left to the Masters of said Mystic Arts, which was the reasoning Tony had used when he had been convincing Strange to become a part of the Avengers, even if it was only for the things that really concerned him or for big emergencies and nothing else. It was fine. With the whole team back together and several new additions, the Earth's mightiest heroes were back at the top of their game.

At least out in the field. Outside of missions was a whole different story, especially as Tony still got side-eyeing every time he passes one of the former rogues.

But that, too, is understandable. They had all seen how powerful the Infinity Stones are on their own, let alone all of them in the Gauntlet like when Thanos had used them. They had all seen what it had done to the Mad Titan, so strong and nearly immortal, that was how unbeatable he had seemed. Not even the Hulk, Thor or even Wanda and Carol could take him down and one was indestructible and almost impossibly strong, the other a god and the two women got their powers directly from an Infinity Stone. Hell, not even Strange could get to the guy and he was a gift that just kept on giving. Tony still actually doubted the man fought Thanos will all that he had back on Titan, probably because he had realized doing so wouldn't bring about the future he saw in which they won, but that was beside the point at this moment in time.

The point was that Strange had seen the future, had picked their road and placed all of his bets on Tony and he had been right. Rocket had located Thanos after the purple fucker had snapped the Stones out of existence - or rather, snapped them to atoms - Thor had killed the guy and the Avengers had returned like defeated dogs with tails between their legs. They had come to a still recovering Tony to the infirmary within the Avengers Compound and lamented at being too late.

Tony, though, had heard the solution in their sorrows as they recounted what had happened on Thanos' retirement garden planet or whatever. The Stones were snapped to ATOMS. Rogers had had a guy who could shrink using Pym Particles, which were smaller than atoms and could only be found in the Quantum Realm, a thing he knew only because he wasn't as stubborn as his father so as to completely ignore the revolutionary work Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne put into their research. So he tracked down Lang while still in his recovery bed and found only an abandoned wan at the roof of some random building. Surveillance cameras and satellite imaging allowed for him to find out what had happened and for a couple of days, Tony fiddled with the machine in the back of the wan.

When he got Scott Lang out, he asked him all he knew about the Quantum Realm and the Quantum Tunnel and the Pym Particles - which wasn't all that much but his experiences had been useful - before he set to work. Within a week, Tony had modified several of his old armors to accommodate the tech needed to get him and several others into the Quantum Realm for the mission of utmost importance.

The mission being to assemble the particles of the Infinity Stones that Thanos had snapped away.

Between Wong's magical expertise and what Lang knew and his own genius mind with help from actual aliens and a thunder god, Tony was ready. He, Thor, Nebula, Rocket, Rhodey - who refused to let him ride another 'fun-wee' without him again - Wong and Lang went into the Quantum Realm and they managed to piece the Stones together one at a time. It took them a couple of months, sure, but they did it. Tony clung onto the Time Stone as fiercely as Nebula did the Soul, Thor Space and Rocket Power, the four of them _desperate _to get their friends and families back. It had not been easy to put them all back together but they had managed and even had a small celebratory donuts party before Tony, Rocket and Nebula got to work on creating a new Gauntlet to hold the Stones.

Two days later, they were fighting about who should do the honors of sacrificing themselves for the universe. Logically speaking, Thor would have been the best bet but Tony doubted the man was in the right state of mind. That was a lot of power and Thor was still grieving. Rocket and Nebula had lost everyone they had ever considered family. Rhodey had been intimidated by the power and had turned it down, saying he doubted he'd hold on long enough to survive to Snap if he tried. Lang had no real idea of what had been going on since he'd been stuck in the Quantum Realm.

And Wong had taken one look at Tony, said that no one else should know and left to wait for Strange's return at that New York sanctuary place or whatever it's called.

As for Tony, he remembered Peter, the Guardians, he remembered Strange giving up the Time Stone for him with "We're in the endgame now" and "There was no other way" on his lips and Tony just picked up the Gauntlet and snapped his fingers, willing everyone back.

He hadn't expected to survive.

Somehow, he did.

Uninjured, too.

And it only got him distrust from everyone he had kept in the dark about getting the Stones back. As always, only he was to blame, everyone forgetting that there were literal other six people in on the plan with him.

Either way, everyone came back, Strange thanked him for holding on to the Time Stone for him when he portaled everyone back from Titan and Tony didn't see him for a few weeks straight as the world and the universe rejoiced in the return of the lost half. Then, crazy villains got back to their crazy plans and the Avengers were needed again. The world probably wouldn't be so welcoming of them if they knew just how few people had actually had a part in getting everyone back. As it were, they felt the Avengers were owed a debt so they were all pardoned.

Which is why it allowed everyone to be here as they watched a crazy ass portal stabilize in their city once more and Tony bit back a groan. "Why New York? Why not some other city?"

"Anyone has any idea what's going on?" Captain America asked, ignoring Tony's rightful whining as usual.

"Ask Mr Genius over there," Wilson snorted, pointing at Stark, who paid him no heed, already looking through the scans he'd had FRIDAY taking since they arrived.

"What do you have for me, baby girl?"

"It appears to be a dimensional rift but its energy signature is nothing like the readings I have from the New York wormhole or Doctor Strange's portals, Boss. This is something completely new."

"Well, that can't be good. How soon are the wizards going to arrive?"

"We're here, Stark," Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme and the Keeper of the Time Stone, said by way of greeting, stepping out of one of his portals with Wong a few steps behind him. He took one look at the rift and frowned. "Well, that can't be good." That only put the inventor on edge. "Any ideas, Wong?"

"It's not magic," the shorter sorcerer said and everyone turned to look at him incredulously.

"Then what the hell is it?" Hawkeye asked, face and voice rightfully incredulous. Because up until now, not even alien technology could create rifts in reality and space giving off THESE power readings!

"I think we're about to find out. There seems to be something coming through. Brace yourselves!" That was all the warning Tony could give before there was something akin to an expelled explosion from the portal, something silver flew out, the rift wavered and sputtered out of existence with an almost deafening pop. The Avengers, having been thrown off by the commotion and shock wave, scrambled to their feet, only to find themselves staring at a groaning man in silver armor getting up to his own feet, a hand rubbing his forehead. He looked around, pushing dark brown hair out of electric blue eyes as he took in his surroundings before confusion cleared and an elated laugh escaped his lips. He twirled around once before rounding on the place that the rift had been, pointing in its no'longer direction.

"Ha! In your face, Richards! How do you like them apples! No safe way to traverse dimensions without the use of magic my fine ass! Finally! Some peace and quiet at last!" He stopped boasting, completely ignoring the flabbergasted Avengers at his back, looking around at the rather small mess such a huge shock wave had caused. "Need to work on my landing, though. JARVIS, make a note for later. Now, what are we looking at here? What to expect from this universe?"

"I believe you could just ask the people behind you for answers, Sir." Tony's eyes widened at the unmistakable voice that reached his ears only for them to nearly pop out of their sockets when the visitor finally turned to properly face them and they all got to see him clearly. There were curses all around as the man only waved at them in a cheerful way Tony hadn't done _anything _for the past six to seven years.

"Hi! I'm Director Stark, but you can call me Tony."

00000

"So you're telling me that you're the Tony Stark of a parallel world?" Natasha Romanov, the Black Widow, SHIELD's best profiler and their best interrogator, asked the new Stark that had appeared through a random portal a couple of hours later, sitting across from him in one of their holding cells meant to house any villains beneath the Compound that regular jails couldn't. The rest of the Avengers were watching the cell's security feed from a conference room several stories up, wondering what the man will spill to the observant redhead after he had been left alone for several hours with no outside contact. None of the Avengers was comfortable with the lack of knowledge where the man's silver Iron Man armor had went, so similar to their Tony's and yet somehow completely different.

Steve couldn't help but study this new Stark as he casually shrugged, not really paying all that much attention to his interrogator, seeming bored and disinterested. He'd looked her up and down when she had entered his cell and snorted in the most derisive and unimpressed way Steve had ever seen before paying attention to literally anything else than Natasha. The spy didn't react to the power-play more than rolling her own eyes at his childish behavior but Steve couldn't help but wonder WHY this Stark appeared so _different_.

He was so full of life that Steve almost thought him to be some younger, more naive version of Tony. Tony had only ever been that ... _carefree _before Ultron, but there was also something else there to this Stark. For one, he carried himself with the sort of swagger Tony reserved for charity galas and Avengers or SI events. There was a confidence to his stride that suggested he was the predator of the jungle and everyone else was less than an annoyance, no threat to his domain to be found. There was no dark circles under his eyes, no worry lines on his brows. His eyes raked the room in curiosity and ... _criticism _instead of the wary, insecure, distrusting and bordering on paranoid way that Tony did it these days. He seemed to be judging them all and finding them all severely lacking if the amusement he would show every now and then was anything to go by.

Though he _did _appear to be intrigued by Doctor Strange for some reason.

"I don't know if our universes are parallel but I'm definitely not from this one. Is it really that hard to believe, though? You ARE acquaintances with rage monsters, sorcerers, mutants, enhanced individuals and even legendary _gods _from what I know. You're fought aliens. Why would an alternate version of one of your _teammates_," Steve didn't like how mocking the moniker sounded and how amused by it Stark seemed NOR did he like how there was a twitch to Tony's hand upon hearing it. This man was trying to get a rise out of them and he might be more successful than Steve would like. "Be such a surprise? Vishanti knows I see crazier things on a daily basis back home."

Doctor Strange stiffened for some reason, a confused but considering look settling on his face as he regarded this new Stark and that put Cap on edge. If anyone has learned ANYTHING at all since meeting the sorcerer, it's that his interest being peaked could only be a bad thing. Steve had no idea what caused the reaction, but they'll apparently have to review the conversation later to pick it apart.

"Maybe not, but how and why should we believe you? Why are you even here, for that matter? And how did you get here? Your little rant to the sky didn't exactly make us want to trust you."

The other Stark just snorted, crossing his arms over his chest and finally paying attention to Nat. "Get all the leading scientist of your world into this room and they'd still not be able to understand what I just did in order to get here. Not without crediting the feat to _magic_, though I _will _admit it was the inspiration for my machine." The Asian sorcerer they knew as Wong and Strange exchanged a glance that seemed to contain an entire silent conversation at that before turning their attention back to Stark. "As for why I am here, I needed a vacation. Somewhere far away from my worries and the annoying people that keep making my days difficult. Especially somewhere where my two Ss can't follow. Whether you choose to believe me or not is really none of my concern. My stay is temporary at best. How long I will stay mostly depends on how long I can get away with it." He shrugged again and went back to ignoring Nat, who was actually staring at him in disbelief. Rhodes seemed both exasperated and amused while Tony had this lost look on his face that Steve wanted to chase away. He was obviously upset that any version of him would talk like that to a teammate, especially Nat,with whom he had a very weird relationship with.

"So the best vacation spot you could think of was an alternate reality? Wouldn't the Bahamas be easier?"

Stark glanced at her in boredom. "If you're me, a trip to an alternate reality isn't really all that hard, though usually I need to use a taxi service. Now, though, since I wanted to get away from _everyone_, I spent the time necessary to create my own means of skipping dimensions. I don't need a taxi anymore. As for the location, no, it wouldn't be easier. I mean, yeah, it would in the sense that it's definitely closer but I couldn't get away from _everyone _if I did that. Pretty much anyone could just drop by and find me. Even going out to space wouldn't be a surefire way to get me some peace and quiet. Alternate reality it is."

That ... Made no sense. _Who _could _possibly _follow Stark across _space _that his only vacation spot could be in another _universe_? Then again, given they knew sorcerers, maybe Stark was on to something.

"So you came alone? You didn't take anyone with you?"

"That's the point of trying to get away from _everyone_. Keep up, Widow, you're slipping."

"God, what an ass," Clint muttered under his breath and Steve had to agree. Stark was as abrasive as Tony had been on their first meeting but while their genius billionaire had mellowed down, this one seems to be even worse.

"I thought no one could be worse than Stark. Figures it's another version of him that is," Wanda snorted but Tony ignored them both, focused on the conversation they were observing. Steve wondered what he saw when he looked at his alternate self. Stark looked younger, healthier, more stable even if he _was _an ass. Did Tony envy him?

"You mentioned your 'two Ss'; what did you mean by that?" Natasha, deciding not to indulge the genius by reacting to his taunt, asked next and Steve congratulated her in his mind for catching that one. He would have completely forgotten it if he had been the one asking the questions with the information that came after that tidbit.

Stark, though, didn't seem surprised. He just shrugged once more, uncaring. "My two Ss are my two Ss. They're my two biggest pains in the ass, not literally thank Odin's beard." It was Thor this time that made an intrigued noise and Steve at least knew why for this one. Thor often swore by his father's beard when agitated, surprised or excited. Though he hadn't done so in a while, most probably because the wound of his father's death was still fresh. "They have a tendency to follow me wherever I go like stalkers. One of them is completely infuriating but I can stand the other most days, though he can be even worse. They're always fighting and most especially if I am around so I grew sick of it."

"What, are they your lovers or something?"

The man actually made a disgusted face at that, for the first time cracking his impassive mask. "Gee, thanks for that horrifyingly disturbing image. I think I'd rather imagine Doom and Reed going at it like bunnies than think about _that _possibility."

Natasha hummed, feigning interest. "What, are they repulsive?"

"Their egos certainly are," came the airy reply before Stark shook his head. "Enough about me, though. Why don't you and your little gang have your little huddle and just let me go explore a little. Or even just get me a cup of coffee. I'm bored and I'm supposed to be on vacation. Even if you plan on keeping me here the whole time, just give me coffee. I can entertain myself well enough on my own. Bye." He even waved at her before completely ignoring her existence. Natasha stayed a few minutes longer but Stark had just closed his eyes and seemed to be in an almost meditative state so she sighed like she was exasperated by him and left. She joined them a short few minutes later, a contemplative look on her face.

"What do you think? Is he telling the truth? Can we trust him?" Steve asks as soon as she comes in, stealing a glance at Tony, who was still studying his counterpart. Steve wasn't sure if it was narcissistic of him or just caution so he didn't bring it up. With how tense everyone was, Tony was only all the more likely to snap at him and only bring tension between them all over again.

"I can't really get a good read on him." Silence followed the unexpected admission, everyone kind of just staring at the Black Widow like she had said the Earth was flat or something equally crazy. "He's got this ... great mask in place. It's like trying to study a doll. I can't determine whether he's pulling my leg or if he's serious."

There was another stretch of silence that had Scott shuffling from foot to foo and everyone else just staring in incredulity at SHIELD's best profiler as her annoyed and frightened admission sank in.

Then, Tony snorted, finally looking away from Stark and shaking his head. "I'm not surprised."

"Excuse me." Steve had never heard Nat sound so deadly before.

He had also never seen Tony so uncaring. "The only thing missing is an annoying, sheepish, Aw shucks, thousand watts smile that could charm everyone and he'd be the perfect copy of Rogers when you set him off at an Avengers gala to 'mingle' and 'spread Avengers joy'. You can't read him because you're looking at what he wants you to look. You see what he wants you to see. If you go back in, he might be someone else. Barton, Wilson, maybe even Barnes. Hell,the most likely thing he will be if you go back in is a mirror. I heard there's nothing more unsettling than to be faced with your own reflection."

Steve shuddered at the sharp grin Tony delivered that last sentence with. It was like he was speaking from experience. Like he used these same methods when he didn't want to deal with people. It made Cap wonder if Tony had ever used these tactics on him. But he couldn't have! Steve would have noticed such an obvious mimicry if it happened ... Right?

Tony turned away from them, looking back at his other self. "It's a game of deflection I learned when I was five and giving my first individual pres conference. His game is well polished, though. I'm not surprised you missed it. When I want to, I can trick my best friends from way back when that I'm drunk, not dying." Rhodes flinched at that, for some reason. Steve wondered if there was a story behind that.

"I would notice such an amateur play, Tony," Natasha said, sending him a smile like she was patronizing him and Tony just shrugged, eyes intent on the other Stark, who looked like he really was meditating.

"And yet here you are, needing me to tell you my own tricks." Steve actually felt like that was a low blow to the team as a whole and not just Natasha. Fury was watching them all with disapproval but he didn't say anything. Fury never said anything these days when Tony was speaking. Steve understood that. The brunet hadn't been very open or forthcoming since their return. When he talked nowadays, everyone paused to let him say his piece. Because, more often than not these days, they found themselves seriously out of their depth.

"Then what's his play?" Strange asked, deferring to Tony like he always did. Well, not _deferring _deferring, but he always valued Tony's word above everyone else's. Which Steve thought to be an unfair, biased favoritism. They were a team. They should all work together equally well. Just because the two went to space together didn't mean they should form a pack against the other Avengers.

"He's waiting."

"Whatever for? You?" Thor asked curiously, for once not obnoxiously loud. "If so, you should go speak with him, my friend. The sooner we get to the bottom of this, the sooner our day can go on."

"No, not on me. On something in general, but he's also currently waiting for when you'll ask what he's the director of."

"What's that got to do with anything? You're director of many things and nobody cares," Wanda scoffed and Tony just shook his head again with this thoughtful little hum.

"I have several PhDs and yet I don't insist on being called a _Doctor_. I'm Tony Stark. I am Iron Man. I don't need any other titles. He's me. He's got the suit. And he probably has the PhDs, too. And yet what he insists on is that he's _Director _Stark. It's obviously important. When were you going to ask what he was the director of?"

Silence once again follows as they digest that information and burn with shame at the oversight. Tony's not even paying any attention to them. He just waited, just like his counterpart.

"What do you suggest?" Director Fury asked after a long stretch of silence, single eye focused on Tony now.

The genius hummed, bored. "He probably won't answer if just _anyone _asks. So it's between you or Sassy Supreme."

"Me?" The sorcerer in question asked in surprise, regarding Tony a bit warily when the man grinned at him.

"Of course, Doc. He practically threw down the gauntlet. He's waiting for you to pick it up."

00000

Stephen watched warily as Nick Fury sat down in front of the other Tony Stark, being sure to stay as close to this world's Tony as was physically possible without being overbearing. In the end, it was decided Stephen will not be picking up the gauntlet, so to say, as Fury supposedly knew how better to manage an interrogation. And while that might have usually been correct, this was Tony Stark and a completely new version of him.

Usually, the guy who saw fourteen million six hundred ans five futures of the man would be ideal but it's not like they had one of those, right? 'I should probably feel worried at the amount of sarcasm I can pack in just my thoughts.'

Still,the point was, Fury was going in and Stephen wasn't. End of discussion. Neither Tony nor Stephen were overly happy with that decision but Stark at least smiled at the director when he walked in.

"You introduced yourself as Director Stark. What are you director of?" Straight to the point. Like always.

Stark, though, didn't seem interested. His smile just turned into this beautiful, genuine - if a bit _sad _\- grin. "It's good to see you, Nick. It's been quite a while. How's life?"

"I deal with new bullshit every other day. Help coordinate saving the world once a week. Listen to a lot of whining and placating politicians. Every so often something new happens, like an alternate persona of one of my Avengers drops out of a weird rift in the space-time continuum-"

"Oh, now _that's _just _bullshit_. It doesn't exist. Space and time are _very _much separated and abide by their own set of rules. I'd explain but it'd take several days to cover it all. And if _this _is your _crazy _day then I have indeed landed in an ideal vacation spot." Fury looked at him real funny and the other Tony kind of just returned the expression. "What? I know you have Strange here. I saw him with my own eyes. If his presence doesn't spell crazy adventures then you guys live in an utopia."

"Doctor Strange and his order tend to keep themselves separate from us. They help _us _in our missions, not the other way around."

"Not like you could, anyway," Stark pointed out with a shrug. Fury looks none too happy at that remind and Stephen and Wong both scoff. For all that the Avengers were a group of extraordinary individuals, they had no way of fighting against extradimensional threats. They could maybe fight some of the physical soldiers some entities like Dormammu, Nightmare or the Nameless One use to do their bidding, but any creature with a brain is way out of their league.

"You still haven't answered my question, Stark. What are you the director of?" The Director of (New) SHIELD asked again, sounding annoyed this time. "You can't just go jumping through parallel worlds and doing what you want. People will ask questions. So here I am, asking one of the most important questions of your continued existence. What are you the director of?"

Stark seemed greatly amused by his interrogator. Tony on his right, though, looked like he was trying to figure his alternate self out, eyes focused on the other's chest. "I am the director of _many _things." He actually _cackled _when Fury looked ready to burst a vein. "Stark Industries, my board and, of course, Strategic Homeworld Interdimensional Emergency Logistics Defense, as well as SWORD, sort of. I mean, Carol is the boss up there but it's only a sub-branch of the main body, so I guess I am _kind _of her boss? I mean, SWORD also falls under my jurisdiction so, yeah, I'm the director of that too. As well as some other things. Like the New Avengers Initiative."

When Stephen had viewed fourteen million six hundred and five futures, he had seen many things. Many deaths, Many incredible outcomes even if they weren't victories or any sort of favorable. He had never, however, seen another Tony Stark come into their reality. And he had never encountered the type of protections Stark had about him. It made Strange wonder just who or what was protecting Stark and why and what from. The protections on him very nearly rivaled that of the Sanctums of Kamar-Taj, which was a worrying thought. It occurred to him that this turn of events might have been shielded from his gaze. But that would imply that the Eye of Agamotto - or more precisely, the Time Stone it houses once more since Tony returned it to him - hadn't wanted him to be privy into this affair. Which could only mean one of two things.

Either their universe will benefit from these events unfolding uninfluenced or Stark's will.

That, however, didn't explain the drastic difference between Tony and Stark. The man was almost nothing like Tony in how not a trace of tiredness or nightmares clung to him. He looked well rested and fed, relaxed and comfortable in his own skin how Tony probably hadn't been _at least _since Siberia, let alone since Afghanistan. There was an cocksureness to the way he carried himself, like he truly believed he was invincible, like nothing and no one can touch him. And to him, it wasn't just a facade, a mask he wore in front of other people to fool them into thinking he was okay when he wasn't.

This was a Tony Stark that had never been in their universe.

And no one knew how to deal with him.

This thought, though, brought his attention to the brunet genius inventor at his side. In truth, no one in this room really knew how to deal with _their _Tony Stark on a regular basis, like, 88% of the time. Rhodey knew how to deal with him 88% of the time, the rest he could get really lost because he, while intelligent, wasn't a genius. Dr Banner, while a genius, didn't have any other real overlapping points that would allow a deeper understanding to blossom between them. Especially not when a chance at that understanding was slept through just months before the biggest test of their friendship was thrown at them. Ms Potts had tried understanding Tony, but she couldn't get over the hurdle in their relationship that was Tony's willingness to die for the world they lived in. The Avengers as a whole would never understand. For all that they don't fit in anywhere else so they only fit with each other, they had never extended that courtesy to Tony. They bought his public mask hook, line and sinker. And Peter and Harley could only understand certain parts of who Tony Stark was. Be it their youth or their innocence, despite the hardships they have lived through, they couldn't see all of Tony. He wouldn't let them.

He probably wouldn't let anyone.

Stephen still saw.

Sure, it was through viewing over fourteen millions possible futures with the man in them, but he still knew Tony. He knew he had a soft spot for doctors and soldiers. He knew redheads and women named Maria were his dearest companions - except maybe the Black Widow, for obvious reasons. He knew Tony hated being handed things. Strange knew he had both too hot and too cold temperatures and snow and sandy places especially. He knew magic terrified him, especially if a certain Scarlet Witch was the one using it though he seemed surprisingly okay whenever he or Wong preformed spells. Stephen also knew that the Yinsen Medical Foundation founded almost every hospital in the world to honor the man who had really made Iron Man, in heart as well as assisting in the creation of the very first armor. Stephen could only send prayers of gratitude towards the late man who had saved Tony's life. The universe would have been doomed back in 2012 without him.

And Stephen also knew Tony struggled with himself every day since the reversed snap to stay in Steve Rogers' company because the rouges were pardoned and the Avengers should 'stick together'. Tony, who knew of the threat incoming for six years and was ridiculed for being paranoid at seeing his worst fears being played with. Tony, who was ready to give up his life for Earth and the universe every single time.

Tony, whom Stephen had come to care for abnormally in just as impossible time.

Tony, who seemed shocked by the implications of his alternate self.

"You're the director of _what_!?"


	2. Chapter 2

**S Or S**

**Summary: The war is over, everyone is back and the Avengers are together, working like a well oiled machine once again. Right? But what if a different Mechanic comes for a visit? What cracks and rusty cogs will he see? And what troubles will he bring from his own workshop?  
Or: It might be the first time Tony hated science right alongside magic.**

Tony couldn't believe what his alternate self had just said, that HE was somehow director of this alternate SHIELD. That someone would trust him enough to put him in change of the organization. That someone would put him in charge of the _Avengers_! Or maybe it was the New Avengers? The other him _had _said the _New _Avengers Initiative, after all, a project he had scrapped as the public still couldn't settle on their opinion of the so called Avengers Civil War. Not that it made it any less unbelievable. _He _wouldn't leave himself in charge of such a project, after all, let alone someone else.

No one trusted him enough with that kind of power.

(He ignored all implications that Stephen Strange had trusted him with _much _more.)

He could tell even without sparing a glance at his 'teammates' that they wholeheartedly agreed, maybe excluding Peter and Strange and maybe even Wong. Yes, he included even his dearest Rhodey-bear in the disbelieving group, though he wasn't really sure if that would be because Rhodey couldn't believe someone would be stupid enough to entrust him with such a position or by the fact that Tony would at any point in his life accept it,especially after Afghanistan and his endless campaign of transparency. He desperately wanted to believe that it was the latter, but the former was just as possible. If anyone knew how irresponsible Tony could truly be - not the version and the ways that the Avengers as a whole were painting, though - it was Rhodey, the guy who had had to save Tony from himself one too many times in MIT when he was nothing more than a brilliant kid with a big mouth and a boatload of daddy issues.

(He also chose to willfully ignorant the very improbable possibility that Rhodey was surprised at least _someone _was smart enough to put an actual certified genius who had the world eating out of the palm of his hand since he was a child in charge of an organization that could almost rival SI in its complexity, number of departments, employees and sheer size because that was just impossible.)

"Did you just insinuate that you're the director of SHIELD?" Fury asked, doing his best not to sound incredulous but it was very clear he was very much thrown by this revelation and that he had no idea how to deal with it. Which, fair, made sense, given not even Tony would know how to deal with this. He was well aware of the way everyone kept switching their gaze from the interrogation going on to himself, trying to discern his reaction. Romanov was especially studying him but he could tell she was coming to her own conclusions even without further evidence. As were a few others, if he knew them well enough - which, while obviously was not very well if at all, was still a lot better than they knew him, even if you add all the lies and secrets that have been going on since the foundation of the Avengers Initiative. They were judging him already, as though who and what this alternate him was defined, confirmed or strengthened whatever image they had formed of him.

Then again, they really did think him to be nothing more than some arrogant asshole rich kid with a fancy suit of armor they wanted to use and take advantage of.

The only ones not casting judgement or comparing his alternate self and himself were Rhodey, who knew better, Peter, who was too innocent and just interested in the whole ordeal, and ... Strange, the man he truly didn't know what to think of.

Strange never hid he had a great preference towards him where all the Avengers were concerned, really only letting him and Peter into his inner circle when he was around. Thought that might be both a representation and a lack of common sense, the choice of the company he kept. Everyone liked Peter and the Avengers as a whole were loud, abrasive, idiotic dumbasses who spout hypocrisy the likes of which would make any intelligent being want to get as far away from them as possible. Still, Tony really wasn't a better choice in companionship, but Strange seemed to disagree for whatever reason. Not that he was around all that much to figure out just how wrong he was, anyway. Tony really had no idea what was up with the Sorcerer Supreme but he was still extremely grateful for him.

Tony couldn't count how many times the man had stood behind him, even in those rare incidents where he bothers to show up for the meetings that weren't mandatory, when he was trying to drive reason into the thick skulls of his colleagues about how things can and cannot be done, politically or otherwise and no one was listening. Well, Peter was but he was a minor and his vote weighted little in the decision making of the overall team and operations of the Avengers. Strange, however, had a great deal of weight in said decision making, as not only was he their resident magic user - the sorcerer always snorted or scoffed whenever someone tried to place him and Maximoff in the same category - but also as the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, meaning no other sorcerer would be allowed to join the Avengers without his say so and Tony was probably the only one who saw it as a necessary security protocol to keep their secrets and sacred places safe and not as an egotistical power play to get back at New SHIELD and the Avengers for no good reason. Although the Avengers have certainly not endeared themselves to the former neurosurgeon.

There was a _damn good reason_ it had been _Tony _that had been sent to recruit the good doctor as even a consultant. Strange wouldn't talk to anyone else and Tony refused to allow Fury to use Peter.

He was brought back to the situation at hand when his alternate self answered Fury's question with yet another perfectly calculated and yet seemingly nonchalant shrug. "Not the SHIELD you're used to, that's for sure, but yeah, I did and I am. It tends to happen when you're the only person around the globe capable of running and intelligence organization while drafting mission reports and liaising with various countries. It also helps to put you in such a position if you are known to have _many _very peculiar and _very important_ allies, acquaintances and friends or just very influential figures who owe you favors. And a _lot _of people owe me a _lot _of favors. Provide a happy and safe environment for your employees and badda bing, badda boom, you have an ideal boss for the world's most important intelligence secret agency."

Fury stared at the man who had appeared on them a few hours ago, trying to figure him out and Tony wanted to snort at his fruitless and utterly futile efforts. Tony could see, with a startling ease given how thick this guy was laying on his masks, that the other was ... uncomfortable in Fury's presence. A sort of uncomfortable that Tony himself was feeling right now that came from the knowledge that _that man_ still had JARVIS, that came from hearing JARVIS voice after having been missing it for so long. It's been _years _since he heard it. Vision's voice was pretty damn similar but it lacked the almost electrical, artificial quality JARVIS had in his because he was meant to. As it was, Vision - Oh god, Vision! There was nothing that could be done for him. The Mind Stone couldn't bring him back. That damned rock had taken _three _of Tony's children from him and none of them were ever coming back - had only been a painful reminder of two people who had given it their all to take care of him and love him and one had even _died _for him. Hearing JARVIS voice was like finally coming back home from Afghanistan and finally feeling _safe_. Hearing JARVIS voice for even just a second had reminded Tony of what he had lost and the loss he had thought he had managed to get over - as in, managed to suppress it from his waking thoughts, at the very least - and had only managed to make him feel ... lost.

Stark had that expression now, too. The sort of uncomfortable that came from being faced by something you thought was lost forever. Tony was pretty sure he had had that same expression for weeks after he managed to get everyone back every single time he saw Peter, Strange or the Guardians of the Galaxy in those few days before they left. And that could only mean one thing, one thing that Tony refused to even think about, no matter how infuriating Fury ever got. It was a painful reality and he thought it was cruel to subject Stark to a man he had obviously lost and who had obviously shown him a faith and belief and trust to keep his life's work and legacy going and safe.

Tony had a feeling Director Stark was as likely to let SHIELD fall as Tony himself was to waste the life Yinsen had saved at the price of his own.

"And do you mind me asking how exactly it came down to it that you became the Director of SHIELD?" Fury, who had no doubt eventually caught on as to what Stark being the director meant, asked warily, focus razor sharp on the man from a different universe.

Stark didn't shrug this time, instead met the man's eye head on, dead serious. "Your SHIELD fell, much like mine did. The only difference was that I wasn't handed down just the Avengers Initiative. I was handed down the entire organization with the instructions to keep the world safe. Now, the fall of your SHIELD happened in 2013. The fall of MY SHIELD happened in 2012, collaborating to the date YOUR New York was hosting a charity gala for the final push of reparations to New York."

"Was it HYDRA?"

The smile Stark gave was bitter, brittle, sarcastic, sad and haunted all at once, a dark shadow in his eyes. It made Tony shiver. That was the expression _he _wore whenever _Siberia _was in any way or form brought up, by others or by his own mind.

"Yes. Among other things and people. Let's just say that the original Avengers lineup is no more and had been as such for many years. The fall of the Helicarrier was supposed to wipe us all out but some of us prevailed. Many people died that day. It was a great betrayal, to the organization and to the world. It took me months to build us back up and even longer for SHIELD to be fully functioning again. HYDRA, of course, wasn't helping with their constant attacks and influxes of enhanced people they created with various artifacts of power or alien technology and genetics they got their hands on. Captain Hydra nearly killed me several times-"

"_Captain Hydra_?" Fury asked suspiciously, probably thinking Stark was trying to pull a fast one on him but Tony could tell this was no elaborate lie. It would have never been so obvious and with how comfortable Stark looked with himself outside of the conversation with what was most probably a dead man in his universe, Tony rather doubted the man had any need to lie to get under their skin. He had JARVIS. JARVIS knew SHIELD's systems inside and out. JARVIS would be able to _easily _hack into everything and give him whatever information or control Stark might want from New SHIELD. A lie such as this was utterly unnecessary.

There was now only a dark, rather scary glint in Stark's eyes. "A shameless mockery to what was once a great man. Revenge for the grief he gave them. An insult to the people who had once believed in the ideals of Captain America. A phony undeserving of what he got."

The Stark of this universe could say there was more that the other one wasn't saying, but it would seem that Fury was satisfied with the answer. Tony's own companions on this side of the security feed were also outraged by the mockery this 'Captain Hydra' represented to the no doubt fallen Captain America. It made Tony wonder what had happened to the blond super soldier in that universe. Had he really died in crashing that plane? Had he gotten back to the states on his own? Had they ever even found him? Or had he died in the fall of that alternate, more advanced sounding SHIELD?

Somehow, Tony had a feeling the answer to that question might be what they need to clear up this story.

00000

"And this is the common area, where the team usually gathers for meals and team bonding." Steve watched and listened closely as Rhodes, the only one likely to be received well by the alternate Stark, finished up the tour of the Avengers Compound, said alternate genius somehow looking both bored out of his mind and mildly interested. "Those, though, are few and far in between, given how busy everyone can get. Carol's often not even in our galaxy, let alone here for a movie night, and certain sentient cape wearing sorcerers-"

"Cloak," Stark seemed to correct absentmindedly as those incredibly blue eyes wandered the open space with a critical quality to them, as though he found it wanting. Steve actually bristled at that. This was the Avengers' _home_. They had all put in a great deal of effort to make it feel personal and welcoming for everyone, to leave their mark. If he wasn't reading the disgusted scowl on Stark's face right when he saw the holes in the wall where Bucky or Clint practiced their aim and the little ant hill in one corner for Scott and his ants, Steve would eat his own shield. "Makes sense those two are busy. Carol in my universe has an entire space station to run and I only see her once a month for our mandatory meeting where we pretend she's giving her report while we actually laze about for a few hours with ice cream and cookies. And Strange is ... Strange." That's all he said about the sorcerer but Steve still felt annoyed that Tony would shrink such an important responsibility as running an organization like SHIELD. There was a _reason _no one wanted to believe him when Stark said he was its director.

"Who's all on your team, back in your universe?" Rhodes asked and Steve perked up, focusing his enhanced hearing even more on the conversation.

Stark chuckled. "Well, damn. That's actually a deceptively complicated question. We'd have to define what 'my team' entails and how you'd define it."

"What do you mean?" The Colonel asked and Stark chuckled again.

"Oh boy, where do I even begin? Well, the original Avengers team was shot down, like, completely. Banner's on the run and Thor's in Asgard, which kind of left me alone to deal with all the new faces that started appearing. We have something like your Accords in my universe, so they all work with SHIELD and, as such, the world governments and sometimes even extraterrestrial and dimensional ones, too. I've got most of them divided into teams of either their own making or mine. There's the Fantastic Four, the Defenders, the X-Men etc etc etc. The team I formed for myself? I have three of those. My Iron Team, consisting of, as you can probably guess, me, my world's you, Spider-Man, Rescue - have you ever met Harley? - Iron Lad - don't ask, it's a long story and no, he's not my kid - and Iron Heart, my protege Riri Williams and no, she's not my kid either. I also have the Ultimates. They were the original response to the fall of the Avengers. And I, of course, founded the Illuminati, though that's more a consortium of minds. The greatest minds in the world all in one place, asked there by your's truly, to help me defend out home world in the wake of the defeat of Thanos-"

"Wait, hold up! What? Dude! When did you fight Thanos if you've had the time to create a whole consortium of big brains already?!" Steve, who wasn't the only one listening in now that he noticed several more people had walked into the living room during Stark's explanation, was glad Scott interrupted to ask - yell - the question because he was getting lost and he was sure the others would appreciate an explanation of that, too.

"Four years ago, in my world's 2014," Stark replied nonchalantly with that infuriating shrug of his. "Near decimated Asgard, collected all of the Infinity Stones and then came a knocking to our doorstep for the Time Stone and the Mind Stone. HYDRA gave up the Mind Stone in exchange for being spared in the decimation Thanos planned and then fucked off-"

"Language!" Steve yelled instinctively, but Stark just talked over him like he hadn't said anything. Like he didn't exist at all and that threw Steve in for a bender. Tony had _never _ignored him like that. He didn't know how to react to this but Stark didn't care, he just kept talking as levelly as he had before, not even acknowledging that anything had happened.

"-to hide in whatever hide hole they fuck off to when they don't want to bother with attempting to take over the world, leaving the rest of us to fend for Earth by ourselves. Unfortunately for Thanos, we were more than ready for the likes of him. Enhanced, superpowered, mutants, Inhumans, aliens, Atlantans, extradimensional people and creatures, sorcerers, Asgardians ... They all came. I called and they _all _came. The purple wrinkly grape stood no chance. Afterwards, though, came the difficult part. We now had _six _Infinity Stones in our possession and no way of ensuring they will be safely distributed across the universe, so we kept them. I formed the Illuminati and gave each member one Stone. Or let them keep it, in one case, but you get the picture. The consortium no longer meets regularly but we call on each other if assistance of any kind is needed."

"You keep all of the Infinity Stones in one realm? That is extremely unwise, my friend," Thor reasoned but Stark only snorted, sounding decidedly unimpressed.

"You can say that only after your people don't try to do the same thing for millennia and fail so spectacularly. Now, we're my other self? I've got quite a few things to talk to him about regarding the poor company he keeps."

"Not all of us can be born billionaires, asshole," Clint snuffed, clearly offended, and Steve could admit even his own hackles were up, as much as such behavior annoyed him. But there was just _something _about this alternate Tony that seemed to _want _to make them angry and, unfortunately, he was succeeding.

"I meant more as in hanging out with mostly idiots and morons, but whatever rocks your boat. J, lead me to the labs, please." There came no audible response from the should-be-dead-so-he-can-be-Vision-but-was-also-destroyed-by-Thanos-in-Wakanda robot butler but Stark thanks it a second later and wanders off unerringly in the direction of the elevator leading straight to the lab. The elevator that doesn't let anyone in easily opens for him even as FRIDAY, Tony's new robot servant ever since the whole Ultron mess, questions as to how that had happened when the lab was on emergency lock down because Tony was conducting a dangerous experiment or something. They watched him disappear while completely ignoring their shouts of protest until the Avengers, sans Rhodes and Banner, were only cursing the man under their breath.

Steve just sighed and wondered why the brunet from another universe was even allowed to come out of his cell and why they had to babysit him.

"Because he didn't ask for permission and just stepped out himself and we're the only ones capable of keeping him in check," Natasha answered and he gave a sheepish smile when he realized he had spoken out loud. "Besides, none of us could detect a single lie and even Strange's truth spell didn't react to any attempts at deceit. As crazy as it may seem, that Tony had really come here for a short vacation. How short 'short' will turn out to be depends entirely on him."

"Shouldn't some laws of physics be violated because there are two Starks in the same universe?" Sam asked, both exasperated and curios, looking towards Banner, who only fiddled with the glasses in his pocket in that nervous manner he never seemed able to quite shake. Steve found it rather unfair just how much tenser the scientist got whenever Tony was no longer around. It would seem even a foreign Stark was better over no Stark, which just made no sense. They were his _team_! There was no reason for tension between the, whatsoever.

"Well, Strange said that it had no effect on the multiverse or our universe itself. Every iteration of any person is an entirely separate entity and is not in any way identical to any other. If Strange's to be believed, the universe and even the multiverse at large won't even notice it, so no sudden apocalypse or end of the world type of shit happening."

"Two Starks _is _the end of the world," Wanda sniffed, plopping herself down on one of the couches, ignoring the frown Rhodes tossed her way. "But enough about Stark. You all said Vision came from his robot butler, Jarvis or whatever, right? We could totally snatch him up and use the Mind Stone to bring Vision back. I mean, Stark still has it in his super secret super protected vault, right? It shouldn't be hard to get to it if he won't give it up himself."

"Come anywhere _near _that Stone and I will personally lock you up in the worst dimension I can find and forget all about you." Everyone kind of jumped when Strange's voice seemed to come out of nowhere, but when they all turned around, they found the man casually leaning against the doorway, watching them all with those cold, stormy eyes of his that had always left Steve very unsettled. They kept changing color and he was pretty sure the man did that just to mess with them by using his magic, like how he sometimes liked to make those fringes of his over his forehead move to make himself look more mysterious.

"Is that a threat?" Wanda growled and looked ready to start a fight with Strange that Steve was pretty sure not even she could win. Even without Thor looking like he was moments away from taking Strange's side should a fight ensue, they had all seen the types of things the Sorcerer Supreme dealt with by himself and with great ease. For all that Wanda was powerful, Strange had expressed _many _times just how easily he could seal her powers away or even take them from her for good if she proved to be a threat to herself or others. Many had cried out in outrage at that but Strange had set himself as the ultimate judge of all magic and magic users, especially on Earth, saying his call was the ultimate one, that he had presidence over all forms of magic and that it was his duty to govern it and its use, and everyone just ... _allowed _it. It didn't help that the Asgardians, especially ones more in touch with magic, supported his claims, saying every Sorcerer Supreme before him had had the same privileges and duties for millennia, which only emboldened the sorcerer to get even more cocky.

Steve didn't like it but there was nothing he could do. He had tried appealing to Tony about it but the genius had only looked at him like he was crazy. "You want me to try and put the leash on the only guy keeping out reality safe from multiple demonic entities who want to use or add Earth to their conquered, dead or dried up worlds collection? Yeah, how 'bout no." And that was the last of that. Tony wouldn't hear anything more about it, even going as far as to say that Strange was acting accordingly towards Wanda. _Wanda_! His _teammate_! But Tony was just being petty again and Steven knew a losing battle when he saw one so he had left the engineer alone after that, thinking he'll come to his senses soon enough.

It never happened. Strange remained unsupervised and unmanaged. He had signed the Accords but his duties as Sorcerer Supreme apparently have priority over whatever Avengers business they might want to call him in on unless it was a world ending event. The only times he showed up on the battlefield for 'minor' missions was if Tony called him, which Steve hated. It fostered bad team dynamics that he had no control over.

"No, it's fair warning," Strange answered in that unwavering calm voice of his that made him sound bored to even be having this interaction with them at all. "And it's for the good of all. Not only are the lot of you a bunch of uneducated idiots, save some people in this room, but you have no knowledge, scientific or mystical, about how the Infinity Stones work or how one might react to you attempting to create a new intelligence from its power. Just because it worked once doesn't mean it won't blow up half of upstate New York this time around.

"It worked twice before. It could work a third time," the Sokovian young woman pointed out but Strange only snorted.

"Yes and one of those times, the entity that came out was all the wickedness of its past wielders combined with program meant to protect the Earth. Ultron came online, saw what humanity was, judged us and found us nothing but parasites to our own world. Vision was pure dumb luck and all JARVIS, Tony, Banner and Thor and their drive to try and make up for their past mistakes, for the lives those had cost. Since then, the Stone has lived through Vision, has learned love and betrayal and loss and the heavy burden of responsibility and sacrifice. It has been handled to wipe out half of the life in the universe and was then destroyed, only to be brought back to undo its own work. If I were to wager as to which kind of intelligence might come out of another synthesis, I'd bet the Eye of Agamotto we'd have another Thanos on our hands. One that would aim to destroy the _entire _universe and not just a half. The only other option that could be considered even slightly better would be that a complete, undamaged JARVIS' coding would create a being obsessed with keeping Tony Stark safe and protected and would seek vengeance against any who have caused him any form of even the slightest harm. Which might as well mean blowing up the planet itself, so I am warning you one last time. Do _not _come even near that Stone. You do not know what you would be dealing with."

With that, Strange turned around and also made his way towards the elevator leading to Tony's lab, having said what he had to say. This time, though, Steve wasn't letting the man disappear without some answers.

"Why do you always take Tony's side? Why are you always so rude and hostile towards us? We've never done anything to you to garner such a reaction from you."

Strange just looks at him over his shoulder, eyes piercing and something about him in that moment feels deadly.

"Because Tony Stark is more important than you will ever realize. Because he needs someone in his corner. And because you are nothing more than entitled, ignorant fools I shudder to share air with. You don't deserve what he's done for you. You are not heroes. You are overgrown children in spandex with powers you didn't earn in your own right. You are not fit to protect and defend. You are not fit to be role models. You are lab experiments and people who had everything that made you special handed to you. You abuse the power and influence you have and you lie to the masses. You had no hand in saving the universe. You don't deserve the recognition you have for it. Once again, you're just reaping the success of your betters and enjoying the glory you don't deserve. I have no reason to nor will I put you on a pedestal. You have not earned my trust or respect but you demand it. In short, you disgust me."

And with that, he was gone.

Steve almost didn't feel it when he punched a hole through the wall.

00000

Stephen Strange had seen some _strange _things in his life but nothing was more fascinating than one Tony Stark ignoring another who was intently studying him, brown eyes purposefully focused on the Iron Spider suit instead of meeting those electric blues that his parallel universe self possessed. He had a feeling a certain Peter Parker wholeheartedly agreed, though he might just be trying to figure out all the ways that the alternate version of his mentor might be different. Both Starks were more than content to ignore them, though they were obviously unable to truly ignore each other.

The alternate Stark had been released from his cell slash interrogation room when he decided he no longer wanted to be there and had just walked out, as though the cell wasn't guarded by the best security system in the world. Though it's not as though he had proven himself dangerous or malicious beyond being salty with the Black Widow, though Stephen had a theory about that.

Stark had wanted nothing to do with the other Avengers, instead following Tony down to the man's workshop and apparently staring at him ever since he arrived. It was obvious he was trying to figure him out as much as Tony had been trying the same to Stark and Stephen wondered what kind of conclusions they had come up for each other. Neither Stark was willing to start a conversation with the other, one content with focusing on anything else, the other fine with spending his day staring at the version of himself indigenous to this universe he had landed for a vacation spot. It's been going on for hours now and Stephen wondered if this is what Stark's vacation will look like until he goes back when said man finally spoke up.

"I used to have brown eyes." It was such a random thing to say that all three other brunets snapped their attention to him in an instant, staring and incredulous. He didn't seem to mind the attention, eyes distant as though he was recalling something. "Back before the fall of SHIELD."

"How'd they change?" Peter asked, intrigued and the only one who was probably going to ask that same question anyway, even if the man himself hadn't posed it.

The question snapped Stark out of his rewire and he smiled at Peter. "I changed them. Had this major operation because of all of my injuries. Changed ... Everything. Real risky. It's a miracle I'm even alive. It had been the only way to keep me alive. I wouldn't recommend it for regular use, though. Helen nearly had my head for using it. But JARVIS knows best and they listened to him when he ordered for the procedure."

"How do you still have him?" Tony surprised them all by actually talking with his alternate self, looking lost and hurt and Stephen cursed internally that there were enough demons to haunt Tony whatever the conversation topic might be. The shorter man didn't deserve it. "Did you ever have Vision? Did Ultron ever happen?"

"Sure, we have them both." The use of the present tense escaped neither adult. Stark was awfully nonchalant about it. As if one of the main reasons the Accords happened and that whatever trust that had existed between the Avengers shattered irreparably and the reason there was a willing HYDRA agent walking around playing hero was nothing special or worth really mentioning and the android that had been the creation of an Infinity Stone and his AI was something not truly significant. "Ultron still tries to take over the world every month or so or to wipe out humanity and Vision is still travelling all over the world, trying to figure out if he wants to continue as an Avengers or not."

"But how do you have both Vision and JARVIS?" Tony asked and Stark frowned at him, as though not understanding.

"I don't see how one thing has to do with the other." And so Stephen was treated to the first row seats to a debated between the two very different Tony Starks as one explained to the other the very different ways Vision came into being as well as the sad story about his death and there being no way to bring him back. Stephen didn't mention what the Scarlet Witch had suggested, since he will never allow for that to happen. Besides, he had a feeling THIS Stark wouldn't be so mild and forgiving should anyone go after his JARVIS. Tony loved FRIDAY, there was no doubt about it, but the way he always reacted to JARVIS' voice and how Stark looked stricken to learn this world's JARVIS was gone forever ... Even if he _didn't _have the knowledge of fourteen million futures, it would have been clear to him just how they both treasured the AI.

It was also obvious how much Stark was fond of Peter, too, indicating he had his own Spiderling back in his home universe. He was certainly happy to answer all of his questions but he did his best not to step all over Tony's toes. And when his tech was brought up ...

Strange didn't know what had the man running from his own dimension for vacation, but it was clear he needed it and was enjoying every second.

Stephen just wished his presence didn't have such an ominous feel to it.


	3. Chapter 3

**S Or S**

**Summary: The war is over, everyone is back and the Avengers are together, working like a well oiled machine once again. Right? But what if a different Mechanic comes for a visit? What cracks and rusty cogs will he see? And what troubles will he bring from his own workshop?  
Or: It might be the first time Tony hated science right alongside magic.**

His other self from the other universe was hiding something. Tony had no doubt or difficulty in recognizing that.

The only question now was what and why.

As well as why he had to leave for a completely different universe just to be able to go on vacation. What or whom could _possibly _find _Tony Stark_ when he wanted to disappear?

Tony didn't like the list, short as it may be, that he came up with as an answer to that particular question.

Still, the man was indeed genuine when he promised he wasn't going to cause any trouble and that he just wanted to relax and chill. In fact, he spent most of his days reading some thing or another with a margarita or a glass of scotch as he enjoyed the sun on the front lawn with a margarita or a glass of scotch or even a fucking cup of _tea_ when he was inside in front of the fireplace Tony had put into the compound to make it more homey. There were instances when he'd go down to the gym and blow off some steam and he asked once for a wrench but Tony had never actually seen him use the thing despite it now always hanging from his belt but he'd guess the man needed to tinker every now and then. He _was _Tony Stark after all, even if from another dimension or whatever.

Anyway, the other Stark turned out to be a pretty cool and chill guy for someone who apparently ran the same, if massively extended, agency as Nick Fury did and good ol' eye-patch always looked stressed. Not that Tony overly believed the relaxed continuance of his other self, knowing how good of an actor Tony Stark really is. But the point was, there was nothing dastardly or sinister that was going on with Stark besides maybe cackling at some silly memes Peter liked showing him or the pranks he played on the Avengers while making it look like they were doing it to themselves or like accidents.

Tony often couldn't help himself but stare. He doesn't remember the last time he had been so carefree. He doesn't remember the last time he _felt _that free as to dare and pull a prank on someone he was supposedly rooming with. The Avengers had always been a ticking time bomb and it was only a matter of time before one of them lit the fuse and they all blew up. It had had him for _so long_ walking on eggshells that he had nearly forgotten what it meant to have fun. To trust people not to think everything he did was an attack. He didn't have that with the Avengers, not even before Ultron. They were always on high alert and almost never really trusted each other. He wished he could say things were changing for the better but it was fact that everyone trusted him even less now that Stark was here.

He often found himself watching as Stark ignored everyone in the room except Thor, Fury, Hill, Strange when he bothered to stop by, Hope, Rhodey and, of course, Peter and himself. He seemed to think everyone else was beneath him and Tony just knew that wasn't true. It was as clear as day to him that he didn't interact with the others because he didn't _trust _them, which had Tony wondering what kind of universe this other him came from.

It's been two weeks already, after all. This ran deeper than what the others seemed to think and the pranks were a petty way to get back at the people from his own universe.

Stark was extremely condescending whenever one of the former rogues tried speaking with him, though he seemed to like Barns and Lang well enough. Not exactly the 'let's be friends' level, but they weren't ignored every time he saw them or walked past them. Even Bruce got the same treatment as the rest of the old team, which had at first confused Tony until he figured out this more confident, less forgiving Stark had most likely entrusted his own Bruce Banner with a story full of his own vulnerability and hadn't forgiven Banner for falling asleep on him. He also seemed to be extremely distasteful towards Steve in particular and it had Tony wondering if something like Siberia happened in their universe, too. He wondered if his other self had always been this cold and unforgiving and uncompromising with the people who betrayed his trust even once or if it was his position as Director of SHIELD that made him that way. Both options were very likely.

Even with the small group of people Stark wasn't bothered to interact with, Tony had never seen him more comfortable around someone as he was with Strange. Tony didn't understand it but, then again, he didn't really need to understand the _particularities _of trusting the sorcerer. He himself trusted Strange more than he found himself trusting anyone else these days. The sorcerer was straightforward and truthful if nothing else. He didn't try to manipulate Tony, even when there was a clear, open opportunity for him to do it. Stephen Strange showed him more respect in just their trip to Titan than his _team _had in all the years they've worked together. Perhaps Stark had a similar experience with his own Stephen Strange? Tony wouldn't be all that surprised. Strange was _strange_, for the lack of a better r more fitting word. Tony had genuinely never met a person like him before and he wasn't even sure if it was the man himself or the way viewing all those possible futures could have affected him.

Either way, Stark loved to avoid the Avengers except the small number he let in. He also seemed most content to just chat with JARVIS and was often kind enough to have conversations with him out loud instead of ... whatever method the two were using that JARVIS' replies were inaudible, letting Tony listen to the voice that brought them both comfort and calmness. It was also really fun to listen to FRIDAY's interactions with this alternate version of her older brother though the happiness of Dum-E, U and Butterfingers at this 'return' broke his heart. They had been almost inconsolable when they first lost their youngest brother, Tony didn't want to think how they will react this time.

"I wish we could take other Mr Stark out sometimes," Peter said one day out of the blue as both versions of the said man were for once chilling and watching some silly TV show with the teen and the comment brought both of their focus out of their head-spaces to the Spiderling. Tony wasn't even surprised when Peter blushed under their gazes. "I just thought it must get depressing to be coped up in here all the time."

"Nah, it's fine. I'm cool staying here," Stark replied, waving Peter's concerns away. "This is actually really nice. I get to laze around for a change and don't need to worry about one of my two Ss coming in to bother me. I don't usually get the chance to just chill and relax. Though I won't deny exploring the differences between your New York and mine would be fun. I wonder how many of the sights we lost you guys still have?"

"Why? What happened to your New York?" All three of them turn their heads to the side to regard the Black Widow as she casually made her way in the room. When she made a move to sit beside Tony on the other side of Peter, Stark stretched and somehow managed to push both him and Peter so they covered that part of the big sofa and the man then just casually stretched himself out on the other half, occupying the entire sofa with just the three of them. When Romanov sent him a glare, Stark just smiled that most infuriating smile Tony used to piss off politicians when he thought they were being idiotic asshats. He didn't fling when Widow's eyebrow twitched in barely concealed annoyance.

_'_Someone's _still smarting from not being able to get a read on him,'_ Tony thought to himself with a barely hidden smirk. He held a blank facade when Romanov turned to arch and eyebrow at him and only shrugged in a 'what can you do' sort of way but didn't move from his spot. He was grateful to his alternate self because he really didn't trust Natashalie Rushmanova not to stab questionable substances into his neck again.

"Well, let's just say certain people belonging to a certain organization managed to crash a Helicarrier on the city, as well as Washington DC as well as Hong Kong and London. It was not pretty."

"And why didn't SHIELD stop them?" She challenged and Stark gave her a look that suggested she was the stupidest creature to have ever crawled the Earth.

"Because there was no distinction between Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division and HYDRA. We didn't purge SHIELD by dumping all of its data on the Internet for all the world to see and kill thousands of agents, undercover or retired as they may be. Strategic Homeworld Interdimensional Emergency Logistics Defense rose from its ashes and picked up the slack as best as we could. Many lives were lost but it was only the people in the Helicarriers. The rest of the agency was put under purview and investigation and continued working perfectly well with only twelve percent less people, who were remembered as heroes for attempting to stop Project Insight."

"And the civilians that lost their lives? Were they acceptable collateral damage?" Tony winced at Maximoff's accusing voice, trying to battle panic like he always does whenever the Sokovian woman was around and he envied Stark the lack of fear he showed each and every time.

"What civilians? What lost lives? What collateral damage?" Stark snorted, giving her an unimpressed glance before turning back to 'focus' on the TV show. "All that I will say is that it is extremely useful to have a sorcerer friend. Or to just have sorcerers on the planet in general. There are those Sanctum things all over the world that need protecting. Stephen created gigantic forecefields around the cities and protected the civilians by yeeting them away with magic." Peter certainly looked delighted at the meme reference while Tony himself groaned. Stark just smirked at them before turning back to the spy and going back to serious mode. "The debris still crashed in some places, unfortunately, and DC wasn't as lucky. No magical sacred haunted houses there, I'm afraid. The lives were saved but half of the city had to be rebuilt from scratch."

"Then how have some of your sites still been destroyed?" She challenged and Stark just frowned.

"I _told _you. Debris fell all over the place. Well, not literally _all over the place_, but you get my meaning. The point is, some things in New York just aren't there anymore and most of it is HYDRA's fault. Like the Statue of Liberty. Captain Hydra had a field day blowing that up. Or a good chunk of the Central Park. Stephen wasn't overly happy with that. Neither was Spidey, Squirrel Girl or Daredevil. Well, not that _anyone _was actually _happy _with it but you know what I mean. Never seen the good doctor that pissed off before. Well, not in person but Captain Hydra certainly has this way of making him channel his inner Voldemort and Dumbledore and what the fuck ever. Didn't know he really had it in him but I guess he had to have a mean bone _somewhere _in his body if he managed to bully an ancient evil demon into leaving the Earth alone."

And then there were times like these that Tony didn't know what to make of Stark. Only the blind would be, well, _blind _to the fact that Strange is undoubtedly the dimensional visitor's absolute favorite, maybe only competing with Peter for the title. Not Rhodey, not Pepper, not Happy. Doctor Stephen Strange, MD and Sorcerer Supreme. He wasn't even subtle about it. In fact, when Rhodey asked him once what his relationship with his own Pepper was like, Stark had surprised them all by saying he had fired her after she tried to kill him.

"Doom had this ... freaky magic spray or whatever that he released over New York. The entire city, for an unbearably annoying number of hours, was convinced I was some sort of tyrant or overlord," Stark had told the story with an amused smirk. "Not even Thor was immune. But Doc was and Doc pummeled some sense into everyone when he got his hands on Doom. Say what you will but that guy is _not _a pacifist by a long shot."

The visiting genius always had _some _interesting story about Strange to share. The two seemed to be rather good friends, all things considered. The other Strange even reminded Tony of their own Strange. An asshole, crazy smart, photographic memory, even more powerful and, of course, not so low-key protective of the people he declares his friends. In this dimension they all live in, Tony had somehow ended up on that list. In the one his alternate self comes from, Stark seemed exasperated and yet honored to be on it as well. All in all, Stark loved being around Stephen and ribbing him with some crazy magic smack talk that always left the rest of them confused but Strange - and Wong if he came with him - smirking. It was weird and it actually had Tony a tiny bit jealous because it took for an alternate version of him to pop up for Stephen's presence to be a regular thing and for him to open up a bit. Though Tony will be the first to admit he hadn't exactly given the guy the right vibes that he wanted him to stick around.

It actually had a bit to do with the fact that Pepper decided to call off the wedding sometime while he was working on fixing all of this shit that Thanos had stirred. She had wanted for them to huddle together to mourn and he had refused to accept their present as their future permanent reality. She came yelling, he shouted, they argued and finally agreed that despite them clearly loving each other, it was clear Tony would never be able to lay down he suit for good, even if it was for her and the sake of their relationship and Pepper, no matter how strong and supportive she can and would be for him, refused to start a family with him only for him to leave them behind because he died saving the world. Neither of them regretted the years they'd spent together or loving each other. They had many good memories and while they couldn't _become _family, they would still _be _each other's family, if that made an iota of sense.

But such a complicated situation with Pepper had left him floundering whenever the sorcerer was concerned, especially as he sort of hated the guy for a little while for putting him through his worst ever nightmare - and it involved _Peter_, too, for god's sake! - and he might have, sort of given off the impression that he didn't want the man around. And Strange yet still came. If there was even a hint of Tony possibly calling on him, he dropped everything and appeared from a sparkling portal to assist the Avengers - well, to assist _Iron Man_, everyone else was sort of the package deal.

There was really a _damn _good reason why it was Tony who was usually tasked with asking Strange for _anything_.

And judging from the way Stark talked about his own Stephen, it was pretty obvious there was a similar dynamic back in his dimension, too. Only they might be closer, actual _friends_.

Tony envied him.

00000

Even after a good three weeks passed since they got their dimension hopping visitor, Steve really had no idea what to make of Stark. Sure, everyone had eventually mostly agreed that the new blue eyed brunet was truthful and didn't seem intent on harming them, but that didn't mean he liked them any better since he arrived.

Still, Stark had started training around them as of late, mostly sticking to the weights and the punching bags, but he would stop every now and then to comment on young Parker's form or tease Tony into the boxing ring in the middle of the big gym set up in the compound. He never trained with anyone else though he had looked ... _tempted _when Bucky had asked two days ago for a spar before suggesting it probably wasn't the best idea. Still, he wasn't outright avoiding them or looking down on them, so there was that. He was actually spending some time around them now so Steve guessed he shouldn't be complaining.

Only the visitor still had hours of free time on his hands that he sometimes spent all by himself, far, far away from their watchful eyes and somehow even avoiding other means of detection. Since the man had JARVIS, FRIDAY couldn't reliably track him if he went out, even in something as eye catching as his all silver Iron Man armor and when they asked Strange that one time, he had responded with the most peculiar and unexpected answer.

"He is protected from any form of scrying spells. I would guess his world's Stephen Strange had put the protections in place. From what I understand, Stark has a rather crazy life."

None of which made sense to Steve. If Stark can't be found even magically, how does he expect his teammates to get him back if they can't locate him? Why would anyone even put such a spell on someone as dangerous as an unsupervised Tony Stark?!

So, since they had no idea what Stark did when he performed his little disappearing act, they payed extra close attention to the man when they could.

Which is why Steve's so surprised _none of them_ had figured _this _out sooner.

Stark was in the gym, apparently restless in the goddamn middle of the night, punching away at one of Steve's special punching bags. Well, they were technically Tony's since he'd made them but it was done so with Steve and his strength in mind so they pretty much _were _Steve's. Anyway, it wasn't all that surprising for someone to try and stand up to the near indestructible gym prop, be they enhanced or not. Tony had never tried, probably because he knew he'd sooner break every bone in his hand than make the bag feel his punch.

Stark, though ... Stark was _working _it. Dressed in one of Tony's black old wifebeaters and some sweats, feet bare, hair in disarray, the man from another dimension was punching away relentlessly as though he couldn't even feel the resistance of the bag. There was a thin sheen of sweat over olive skin that Steve had once upon a time considered on his own Stark, before the so called Civil War and especially after Tony found a way to undo the snap and brought everyone back. The only thing ever really holding him back from approaching Tony about this interest of his was the fact that the man had never seemed interested and had been with Ms Potts most of their acquaintance. Now, though ...

Well, there were still a few trust issues Steve figures they needed to hash out. After all, Tony _had _went behind their back once more and had involved complete strangers in such a dangerous mission as collecting the Infinity Stones or whatever it is that they had actually done but could have so easily messed up. He should have told _his team_ but he figures Tony must have gotten a bit too eager and even more so desperate to get everyone back so he had just ... forgotten. There was no other logical explanation as to why he wouldn't tell his team.

Still, it was a train of thought he hadn't really indulged in for a long while now. He wondered if he should feel guilty for basically eyeing up his friend and teammate's alternate self like this, being all creepy from the shadowed doorway. But it was an entrancing sight, Stark all worked up like this. Steve was suddenly glad for the nightmare that had plagued him if he was treated to a sight like this. It actually made him forget all about how real it had felt to drive his shield into Tony's chest in Siberia over and over again while his friend pleaded for mercy until it was only a corpse under him and yet _he still kept going_.

But Stark was very much alive, which meant so was Tony, even if he were elsewhere at this moment. Stark had good form and it was obvious he did this often. Steve was also glad to have such advanced senses as well, as it allowed him to hear all those little pants that escaped with the intensity of the exercise. He frowned, though, when for just a moment, he thought Tony's blue eyes were glowing. It must be the trick of the light, a reflection of the Arc Reactor's own peculiar blue light, surely. Still, the supersoldier grew worried when the breathing he heard started becoming ragged and louder and he wondered if the other man was having a heart attack or if nightmares had driven him down in here tonight, too, and he knew how that could affect himself so Stark must be having it pretty bad, too. Determined to help, he stepped one step into the room-

When there was a sudden, brighter flash of blue and the punching bag _soared _halfway across the room, whatever sort of powdered material or sand or whatever Tony stuffed it with seeping out like blood from an open wound.

"_FUCK_!" The scream scared Steve out of his wits and he turned wide, disbelieving eyes on the kneeling Stark, a hand going to his Arc Reactor, tapping a relentless rhythm Steve wasn't sure meant anything. "I was supposed to be better! I should have done better! I can't be this weak! Not over something so insignificant!"

"Breath, Sir. Everything is in order." Steve also almost jumped out of his skin when JARVIS' voice spoke up. It had been so long that he had almost completely forgotten how different it actually was to Vision's. All robotic and stuff. He missed the kind android and JARVIS sort of freaked him out. Not that any of that really mattered now, not as much as Stark unraveling right in front of his eyes. "It was beyond your hands and it has happened a long time ago. No one blames you."

"Exactly, it _was _a long time ago! I should be over it by now!"

"There is no schedule for such healing, Sir. Everyone deals with things like that differently," the AI calmly explained, obviously used to these conversations. Steve carefully back out of direct sight should Stark turn around and see him standing there and practically eavesdropping on such a conversation. For some reason, he feared he might fare no better than that punching bag.

"It's been years, J. I can't take this anymore. I ... Everyone's already moved past it. Everyone's moving on. I don't want to be left behind." Steve almost didn't recognize the man's voice. He sounded nothing like the 'Director Stark' they've all first witnessed when he ran psychological and interrogation circles around Natasha and Fury.

"They are content to wait," came the AI's reply, but that didn't seem to make Stark feel better, judging from the condescending laugh he gives as his own.

"None of them even know I'm still struggling with all of this!" That, Steve believes. This man was an incredible actor, obviously. He could hide from Nat's all seeing eyes and he had definitely managed to hide _this _from them all. And judging the state of that punching bag ... He was definitely hiding even more things.

"Someone does."

'Who?' Steve couldn't help but wonder. Who could _possibly _be close enough to Stark to know about something he was obviously intent on keeping to himself.

"Strange is different." And that somehow wasn't surprising at all. Strange and Tony _did _appear to have a very peculiar relationship, especially on the sorcerer's part.

"He's waiting," the computerized voice pointed out and the man scuffed.

"Well, not even he can wait forever."

"He can, in fact, do so, Sir. You know this. And he is very much willing to."

Stark hesitated and Rogers wondered just what in Uncle Sam's beard he'd walked into. The only thing he knew with absolute certainty at this point was that Stark would kill him if he knew he had seen him like this, all vulnerable and weak. Steve wondered if he should just leave or stay till the end since he's already seen and heard this much. He should leave nut he's really committed now. What if this was their only opportunity to find out any _real _truths behind what the man was doing in their dimension? It would be on Steve that he hadn't stayed till the end of the exchange and learned about it in time to stop it should it turn out to be anything dangerous or sinister.

"He's waited long enough as it is. He shouldn't wait for a simple answer for as long as he has."

"Then tell him. Give him your answer, Sir, you both already know what it will be. Tell him as soon as we return."

"You know I can't. There's this operation still going on and while we were lucky with the universe we landed in, that doesn't necessarily mean this mission will end up as a success." Wait, what!? Mission? What mission?! Stark was here on vacation! Right!? That's what he said and no one had been able to find any indications or hints that he was lying when they had been interrogating/observing him! And what operation!? An agent kind or a medical one?! None of this made any sense! "What if it all goes to shit?"

"Then it's back to the drawing board, Sir."

"That just means I'll not give him an answer until it's finally done, JARVIS. I can't expect him to wait for who knows how long!"

"But he will, regardless of what you can and can't expect of him. It is his choice, Sir. He will wait. He has waited this long, I doubt he'll stop _now _just because he might need to wait a couple more months."

There was a long moment of silence in which all Steve could hear was Stark's ragged breathing evening out and the casement of the arrhythmic tapping of skilled fingers against the Arc Reactor's casing. A sigh cut through the silence and nearly had Steve bolting as it surprised and slightly frightened him with its suddenness. "Thanks, J. What would I do without you?"

"For you, Sir, always," came the response Steve had heard their world's JARVIS say many times to Tony. He shuffled as quietly as he could out of the hallway leading to the gym when he heard the genius start to get up and clean up his mess. He made his way halfway down the corridor before turning around and walked towards the gym with louder footsteps than he would usually just to alert Stark that he wasn't alone.

When he made his way to the gym, though, there was no one there and for a second Steve wondered if he had simply dreamed up the whole ordeal.

But there was a new enforced punching bag hanging on the rack and there was a slight dent in the gym wall that told Steve everything that happened that night was indeed true and not a figment of his imagination.

That sent cold dread through his entire body.

Stark _was _up to something.

And it was up to him to find out what.

00000

Training with the Avengers was not usually something Stephen did but Captain America had apparently decided it was time they started practicing combination attacks or something equally as silly, as though they can think up in advance strategies that won't work for every situation the same way, no matter how similar it may appear. The Sorcerer Supreme usually took great delight in declining attendance but he was dully informed there would be sparring and that Tony and Peter would be there, so you can imagine how greatly that changed his response. Call him a push over and biased but those two he actually gave a rat's ass about and he didn't trust the former rouges around them no matter what.

Not to mention that there were now _two _Tony Starks to worry about, even if one had absolutely nothing to do with him. He was still _a _Tony Stark and Stephen's stupid mind and heart registered him as such.

The Time Stone, if it had any true sentience and consciousness, must be embarrassed bz its keeper and protector.

Then again, it _was _the one at fault for Stephen being so pathetic in the first place. It just _had _to go and show him all there was to know about the man, making it literally impossible for Stephen _not _to come to care for the stubborn, self-sacrificial genius engineer willing to do anything to protect those he calls his. Earth was rather lucky the entirety of it was considered as such, even though not in the same sense as Virginia Potts, James Rhodes, Harold Hogan, Harley Keener, Peter and May Parker, Bruce Banner, his bots and AIs and, surprisingly, through some strange twist of fate, himself. It was impossible to resist, an inevitable outcome. He could only speculate and guess as to why it had taken such an approach in showing it all to him. It was probably ensuring that there was no doubt left in Strange's mind as to what he must do on Titan in order to lead them all to the preferred outcome. The Stones were back, Thanos was dead and everyone erased by the Snap was brought back.

Thor still mourned half of his refugees and his brother and oldest friend. The Guardians of the Galaxy still grieved for Gamora. The Avengers, mostly Tony and Maximoff - for different reasons but no one could deny the android meant the most to them both - still felt the loss of Vision.

For all that Tony was amazing, not even he could affect the scales of balance that control life and death.

Whatever the Time Stone's reason was to make him so irreversibly _fond _of the man didn't change the fact that he was. He _was _. And he didn't even have it in himself to regret it or be angry about it. He wasn't resentful.

He was in love with Tony Stark and he was perfectly okay with it.

Sure, it came about in the strangest way possibly, but that was his style, either way, so why deny it? What good would come from denying how much he cared for Tony? It won't change anything, really. They still had their banter. They were still friends. He would still answer Tony's call over any other Avengers' because he knows Tony would understand why he can't be around constantly and wouldn't abuse a means of communication for matters that don't need his involvement. It really didn't change anything and that's why Stephen was so okay with it.

It was sometimes annoying, though, when he couldn't stop thinking about the engineer but that was just how people in love acted. Nothing suspicious or unnatural there. He may have the Time Stone and fourteen million six hundred and five futures to blame for his feelings but they were genuine. They built over time - the _irony _of it, really - through watching Tony in all of those futures, even if it happened in a matter of seconds for anyone else. He had spent entire _lifetimes _at the brunet's side in all sorts of capacities. He won't push Tony into something he might not be ready for or even interested in. He was still practically fresh out of a years long relationship with Ms Potts. If something happens, it will happen in its own time, naturally. Until then, Stephen will protect Tony Stark to the best of his abilities and always be there for the man.

And if that meant training with the annoyances that were the Avengers, particularly the rouges, then so be it.

"Alright, everyone, we'll pair off and do some basic sparring, without the use of powers or special equipment," Rogers started the session by saying and Stephen could see he wasn't the only one questioning Rogers' sanity at the moment. There were a _lot _of people present who weren't enhanced and even if using powers in general was forbidden, how was someone like Thor supposed to react when someone like, say, Wanda for instance punched him without using powers? And who was to say the enhanced people can actually hold back their punches?! Peter would probably be the only one who could as he had to act all the time that he was tons weaker than he actually was as he had a secret identity and a normal life outside of the Spider-Man mask. "We'll rotate every five minutes so we can all get a feel of each other. Start of with the person to your l-"

"I'm sorry, but what is _he _doing here?" Stark, who was being pointed at by Maximoff, didn't so much as blink at the girl's rather hostile tone of address. Then, just to show how unaffected he was by her little temper tantrum, Stark _did _give a lazy blink like he didn't have a care in the world. "This is supposed to be for the team. _He _is _not _a part of the team, unless I missed the vote."

"Yeah, those things happen, so you shouldn't be too surprised. That _is _how you ended up being an Avenger, after all," Tony, though, answered for his alternate version and Strange had to hold back a smirk. "Anyway, kid, you're with me."

And at that, Stephen actually relaxed. Tony will be more likely to teach Peter some useful moves for close quarters combat and Peter will hold back his punches against his - fragile, though no one is insane enough to say it out loud nor is Tony really ever going to admit it even though it _was _kind of true, in more ways than one - mentor so he knew they will both come out of this safe and relatively unharmed. The engineer and Parker completely ignored Rogers as he started protesting, but even that died on Rogers' lips when Stark casually sauntered up to Stephen with a smirk on his face.

"What?" He asked a bit too innocently as Stephen arched an eyebrow at him. "I want to see the differences between what this Kamar-Taj teaches its students to the one back home."

The former neurosurgeon couldn't help himself but smirk. He had to admit seeing this version of Tony fight and the style he used would be interesting. "I think you're going to regret this by the time we're done."

"Kick his ass!" Tony could be heard cheering one of them on, though whom was hard to tell since he wasn't even paying them and attention, focusing on Peter. The boy was already in a defensive stance as Tony wrapped his knuckles and prepared for a training session with the Spiderling. With a wink in the man's direction whether he was looking or not, Stephen fell into a fighting stance which was now as familiar to him as breathing. Stark followed suit, choosing a slightly different style, a smirk on his lips. The electric blue eyes were a bit distracting, if he was being honest with himself, as they were rather pretty, but Stephen still preferred honey brown.

The two forgot all about the rest of the room as they got into it, focusing only on each other as they were now opponents and both were still prideful, competitive men even if they didn't let their egos get the best of them anymore. Stark was incredible, Stephen will admit that much. Sure, Tony was pretty good, but Stark seems to have had actual martial arts training with someone who knew what they were doing as he surely did. He was light and fast on his feet, easily keeping up with Strange as they exchanged and parried blows. It was almost like fighting Mordo all over again, when he was still just one of the novices, no matter how quickly he advanced through the system of Kamar-Taj. Stephen was actually sweating a little and that got him excited. He rarely got to show off how good he was at martial arts these days. He mostly fought with magic because that's where he was most needed, where no one else can handle the situation but him while everyone else got to do the grunt work. Fighting with Stark was a delight.

When it came time to change partners, both were breathing ragged but Stark looked like he could go several more rounds as intense as this one. Still, there were huge smiles on their faces and neither was keen on changing partners, but Tony was now paired off with Bruce which left Stark all but jogging over to take over with Peter before any of the Avengers can get to him. Stephen found himself facing Colonel Rhodes instead. And after him Sam Wilson, Maximoff, Lang, Ms Van Dyne, Barton, Barnes and even Rogers at one point.

Near the end of the training session, when he had just exchanged Peter to Banner with Tony being his new partner, they all paused when they saw Stark was paired off with Thor. Tony hand't yet been paired off with the thunder god and so far only powered individuals have. They all exchanged glances but Stark just shrugged and made a challenging motion with his hand.

"Friend Stark, I have no desire to hurt you," Thor started to say but Stark huffed.

"You once punched me in the face with Mjolnir when I had no armor and he," he nodded in Tony's direction, everyone following his gaze curiously. Tony tensed at the unwanted attention but it didn't show unless you were really close to him to practically feel it. "Survived a moon being thrown on him by a fucking giant purple grape with delusions of grandeur. I think I can take it."

When Thor still hesitated, the worst possible thing that could happen, _happened_. "It's alright, Thor. I'll trade places with you," Rogers said reassuringly, walking over to the mat Stark was on. Thor sent them both dubious looks but made a move to step back when Stark took a step back.

"No," was all he said, crossing his arms.

"You're willing to trade blows with Thor but not Cap? Why?" Lang asked, confused, and the rest of them were, too. After all, Thor _was _immensely stronger than Rogers.

"Because I can't be held accountable to how I react if he comes within five feet of me."

"Don't be so dramatic, Stark. We've all sparred against people we might not be comfortable with," Wanda snorted, gesturing between herself and Bruce, who really _did _look like he'd rather be anywhere else than paired up with the woman who had once released the Hulk onto the streets full of unsuspecting civilians.

"If I break his skull, it will be on you but you'll still blame me or him," he gestured at Tony once more, shaking his head. "So my answer will remain no, thank you."

"Since when does the great Tony Stark run from a fight?" Rogers taunted, walking closer to Stark and Stephen felt his magic surge to his hands, ready to defend the man when Rogers' hand reached out to grab Stark's shoulder, but the man whirled around and slapped it away with force as though he had always known it was there, a glare firmly in place.

"Since Director Stark acknowledged he'd win anyway," he spat in a threatening manner, shoving a finger under Rogers' nose. "Don't test me, Rogers. I'm not the Stark you're used to. I won't _hesitate _to let you _die _if you prove to be a threat to me. Because I have an entire world that needs my protection and I won't let them down just because I'm held responsible for an idiot's death in a different universe. I _can't_, because they're relying on me."

Rogers scuffed. "Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away and what are you?" Stephen felt Tony stiffen besides him and glared at Rogers. This particular conversation was something many possible future Tonys had shared with him and it never failed to make him want to pop a vein in anger.

Stark's response, though, was immensely different than the one Tony had given. "The guy who _built _the armor, under terrorist watch, in a fucking Afghani cave, with a box of scraps and the clock ticking over my head. The guy whom the entire world knows better than fuck with because he's battled terrorists, aliens, gods and exploding people. The guy who saved your entire fucking universe but never asked for even a single, simple thank you. The guy that's worth _ten of you_ because I've made my own super power and didn't need another man's brain to become great. That's what I am without the armor. What are _you _without your - or rather Erskine's - supersoldier serum? Dead, most likely."

And as amazing as all of that was and as much as he agreed with every word said, Stephen couldn't help but feel it was foolish, too, especially when he saw and realized too late that Rogers' fist was clenched and flying-

Only for it to be caught by a silver armored hand in turn, twisting it and making the supersoldier crumble to the ground with ease. Rogers cried out in pain but no one moved to help. The armor was half formed around Stark and Stephen couldn't help but stare. Tony's armor _never _moved like this. Yes, it was fluid and covered his body like a second skin, but this ... The way silver nanites were so casually floating around in the air, circling Stark's body like he was Saturn and those were his rings ...

And the electric blue eyes were glowing. Stephen was sure of that. He wasn't hallucinating. And they lacked all the warmth he was so used to in Tony's gaze that he almost shivered.

"Next time you eavesdrop on me, I'll take care of you much sooner."

And with that cryptic message, he was gone, ignoring everyone on the way out as Rogers was left cradling his broken wrist on the floor. No one said anything. No one moved. It even felt like no one was breathing in fear of stirring the air.

"What the _fuck _just happened?" Wilson eventually found it in himself to exclaim, startling them all because of the tense silence that had descended on the room like a heavy cloud.

"It think Stark is HYDRA," Rogers response left them all reeling. "And I think he's trying to take over our dimension."


	4. Chapter 4

**S Or S**

**Summary: The war is over, everyone is back and the Avengers are together, working like a well oiled machine once again. Right? But what if a different Mechanic comes for a visit? What cracks and rusty cogs will he see? And what troubles will he bring from his own workshop?  
Or: It might be the first time Tony hated science right alongside magic.**

It became obvious after a few days since that one disastrous training session, really. No, not the Stark HYDRA thing, despite what everyone was starting to speculate, but rather Rogers himself.

Tony was possibly the first - and more concerning is the fact he was also the only - one who noticed the inconsistencies in Rogers' behavior.

(Then again, everyone else with an actual working brain in their skulls had better things to do than waste any thought or brain cells on Rogers so of course they wouldn't notice.)

It was like the supersoldier had suddenly developed schizophrenia all of a sudden, Winter Soldier style. He would forget entire conversations that have been led just hours prior and he had started wearing two outfits a day for no apparent reason. One minute, he was on Stark's case and the next he was staying as far away from the visitor as was possible, practically hiding from him. It was as ridiculous as it was concerning and Tony didn't really know what to make of it all. Rogers never ran from a confrontation, so Stark managing to overcome him shouldn't be the sudden reason for him to develop this hot and cold attitude. Tony had noticed other concerning behaviors as well, but most of those aligned with Rogers being, well, _Rogers_ so he tried not to look too much into it.

Stark didn't seem to notice but, then again, the man had no patience for any of the formerly rouge Avengers, giving them a wide berth 'for their own sake', as he kept insisting. And after seeing how easily he took down Rogers, Tony had no doubt he actually meant it. Which meant that, even in this other universe from which Stark came, the original Avengers were still a bunch of asshats.

What was more interesting about Stark, though, was the way and the ease with which he handled a supersoldier. Tony had always been fascinated by his counterpart's electric blue eyes, almost the exact same shade as the Arc Reactor's light. They always seemed to be flashing, almost glowing, no matter what the man was doing. But that day ... Stark's eyes _had_ flared up with the glow of the Arc Reactor as he whirled around to slap Rogers away, as he caught the punch aimed at him and broke the blond's hand. Tony had image to prove it. He and FRIDAY had studied it carefully, over and over again, frame by frame and there was no mistaking it. Not to mention Tony knew the strength a half-formed armor affords, no matter how different the other him's version was. That hadn't been the strength of the armor being used back then. That had been Stark's own strength.

The implications were astounding and surprisingly not at all shocking. It fit in perfectly with some of the things he had suspected already. It all made sense, perfectly logical sense and reason. It was just another piece of the puzzle falling into its place, answering some and yet bringing up more questions about Stark, his true reasons to be here and the people and the connections he has in his life, in his universe. Many more pieces are still missing, but a few more things made sense now.

JARVIS made sense. How Stark communicated with him made sense. The way certain footage would not exist when Stark wanted to be alone in any specific area made sense. The way his armor worked made - somewhat - sense - it hadn't exactly come out of the Arc Reactor _only_ when he had called upon it, seeming to seep out of his very pores. The animosity towards the Rouges made sense. His survival of what sounds to be practically a death sentence when he talked about the fall of SHIELD made sense. Why _he_ was the one chosen to run the new, upgraded SHIELD of his universe made sense, given how it fell and how it was probably as infiltrated as their SHIELD had been. The strength he hid made sense. All of that made sense.

Extremis with a few modifications would indeed create a technopath. Tony would know. He had been tempted to make those same modifications himself, back when he was stabilizing it for Pepper and for his own operation to remove the shrapnel. Keeping the superpowers would be a bit trickier but Tony would have managed it had he wanted to deal with that as well. Stark obviously had.

What _didn't_ make sense was the apparent lack of Rhodey, Pepper or Happy in Stark's life. He never mentioned them, anyway. His interactions with Fury made no sense (not really). His downright hate towards the 'main' Avengers lineup sans Vision - and he still _had_ Vision - didn't make sense. His levels of familiarity with Thor made no sense. His okay-ness with Barnes made no sense.

His close relationship with Strange made no sense. (Or maybe Tony just couldn't see it.)

Either way, Stark was still an enigma, just with a few things answered or confirmed. There were still so many things wanted to ask, to figure out. Why Extremis? What situation was so _extreme_ to use it. Tony hadn't used it even after Siberia, even after returning from Titan.

"I can _hear_ you thinking all the way from here," the amused comment from the object of his contemplation drew him back into reality and he snapped to attention, giving a sheepish shrug to the amusedly smiling Stark. Then it registered what the other had said and he kind of ... just blurted it out.

"So you're a telepath as well?"

Stark paused in his tinkering at that, focusing all of his attention on Tony. "Ah, so you figured it out, huh." It wasn't a question but it sounded impressed. The genius of this universe huffed, crossing his arms and giving the other an indignant pout.

"Don't underestimate me. I had suspicions but you proved them true only a few days ago. You still haven't answered my question."

Stark shrugged, giving up on his tinkering in order to focus on Tony. He tried not to feel exposed to those laser-sharp eyes. It was difficult. Blue eyes always unnerved him but at least these were a blue he could stomach since they were the perfect color of the Arc Reactor, even if it's before it's powered. "I wouldn't underestimate you - you are _me_ after all - and no, I'm not. I just know my own hard thinking expression when I see it on my own face. Mostly because I usually have a constant uplink to everything back home, including security cameras. I can't relax back there. I always need to be alert. Someone could come and kill me at any second - well, _try_ anyway. It's why I needed a vacation, as far away as possible. That and my two Ss are a pain in the ass."

"I take it being Director of SHIELD isn't all that?"

Stark surprised him with the bitter laugh. "Being the _Director_ is a _nightmare_. I can't get a break unless I have to go on diplomatic missions across the universe or dimensions. This was quite literally the _first_ break I had that wasn't forced by something or someone else."

Tony regarded his counterpart, a thought occurring him that wasn't at all pleasant. "The way you say _Director_ ... " And he watched as the man stiffened, which was answer enough to it having a greater meaning than they've been giving the rank so far. It was like ... it was a _title_. It bore the same responsibility and honor as 'king' did. Tony could relate. Iron Man had the same feeling. He couldn't imagine _two_ such titles weighing down on him. "I get the feeling it means a lot more than it's insinuating."

Stark was silent for a long moment, just staring at the table in front of him before giving a tired sigh. "HYDRA got what they wanted. Certain parts of DC were nearly in ruins. Including the parliament and the big political meeting conjured with the start of the Accords at the heart of the discussions. Two hundred and seventy five politicians from all around the world _died_ that day. HYDRA's reign was neigh. The world was panicking. The heroes that were supposed to be there to protect them, weren't, either too busy with other shit going on around the world, the universe or the multiverse or lying underneath the ruins of SHIELD. HYDRA had very nearly won. But J was _never_ going to let me die." Stark took a deep breath and Tony wondered whether this was the traumatic part of the event that lent this version of himself the same haunted eyes that usually stared back at him from the mirror. These eyes, though, weren't brown. They were blue and unnatural and electric and _powerful_. And yet as broken as his.

Tony almost told him to stop, to not relive that event, afraid the other might panic. But he seemed relatively fine and then Tony remembered the technopacy and JARVIS' presence. Right there, in his ear, in his _mind_. He wouldn't panic if he had J that way, either. Besides, he ... He _needed_ to know. He wanted to help him. He wanted to _understand_ himself from another universe.

Then maybe he'll understand himself as himself, too.

"He came in with one of my newer, yet untested armors with Extremis in a syringe in hand. He gave me the shot and took me as far away as possible from the wreckage. I was under for two hours until I finally came online/woke up and the world was falling to ruins around me as HYDRA made a bid for power. I came back to New York. I gathered all the remaining agents of SHIELD and called all the heroes left to assemble. We made a stance. Certain people's true colors came to light. Others followed like blind, mindless sheep. Agents on both sides died. Despite being new to Extremis, I somehow managed to push Captain Hydra back. We won. Nick ... Didn't make it. Like, not how _your_ nick 'didn't make it', but like _really_ didn't make it. For some reason, he thought it would be a good idea to leave his SHIELD with me. _To the next Director of SHIELD. I trust you._ Not fucking funny, Nick!"

Tony took note how some of his equipment all around the lab sparked at the obvious show of anger from his technopathic counterpart. That was something to remember.

"It didn't stay secret for long, neither what I can do and the position I was entrusted. I was trying to pull back all of the burned agents when I was invited to an emergency meeting with world leaders. It started off with me being Director of SHIELD, one of many who will carry the title or so we thought, and somehow ... As I gathered more and more allies and made stronger and more significant connections ... The longer the world watched me build it all back up ... I became ... Something _more_. It tends to happen when the Sorcerer Supreme refuses to make an alliance with anyone else but you or when an entire _alien race_ practically sees and worships you as their _god_." _Aaand_ Tony refused to touch that one with a thousand mile long pole. "Or when you have a seat of honor at Odin's table in Asgard. Or when you're the leading entity in alien and magic detecting technology. Or when you're ... _singlehandedly_ keeping the Internet safe from HYDRA and when you're the number one threat on their list."

"And what _is_ that _something more_?" Tony asked cautiously, wondering what he was walking into with asking that question. He actually didn't like where this was going. "What are you hiding? What are you _running from_?"

"What I'm running from? My mistakes, mistakes I should have ratified by now. As to what I'm hiding?" Stark gave him a brittle, fragile little smile that came nowhere near reaching his eyes. Tony didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. It looked the same way he'd felt when he had gone to Rhodey about making the armor after Afghanistan and his best friend told him to 'get his head together' or something along those lines, practically telling a PTSD victim right after their traumatic event that they were screwed in the head for feeling like shit. He must have worn that exact smile. Had Rhodey even noticed it? Sure, Tony was a spectacular enough actor to trick the supposed 'world's best spy and manipulator', but he had always wanted to believe his friends could see through it. Guess not.

"I have a feeling I'm not going to like your answer."

But Stark ignored his snark, seeing it for the deflection of the conversation as a whole that it was and he was having none of that. Tony had asked a question and now he was going to regret it. "What I'm hiding, my alternate version of self, is that when I said I have an _entire world_ depending on me, I wasn't exaggerating."

00000

Steve had noticed the change in Stark's demeanor. The man started avoiding him, practically running from him whenever Steve entered a room. Sure, he hid behind rolling eyes and exasperated sighs, but Steve knew it was all a deflection from the truth, the fact that Stark was not Iron Man the hero but a villain in his own world and he was probably here to wreck havoc on their own because he got bored or kicked out of his own. The answer the other world's Strange was probably waiting for was very clearly an ultimatum given to Stark whether he will change his ways. Who _else_ could kick someone from an entire parallel _universe_ if not the Sorcerer Supreme? Though Steve still felt like that 'title' was pretentious. Who gets to decide Strange is the best when there's not even a competition.

Not that he's denying that the doctor was powerful. He'd still have preferred someone who isn't partial or under influence of anyone else's words and opinions.

Steve's also noticed how Tony - their world's Tony and Iron Man - was paying him much more attention, something the blond supersoldier tried not to think too much about. There was always a look of worry in those doe brown eyes. Steve wasn't sure if it was because the brunet was worried about Steve's broken wrist or because of what Steve might think of him in the wake of the revelation that Stark was HYDRA. Tony shouldn't worry about that. Steve knows it's not Tony's fault what other versions of him do in their own universes. Though he should probably ban the man from his lab instead of allowing Stark to mess around with their world without proper surveillance as to what he's doing. He should stop that silly nonsense about Steve 'not having clearance to enter his lab' so Steve could properly keep an eye on Stark. After all, who better to subdue Stark than Steve? Steve knows what he's capable of, after all.

And it wasn't only Tony paying much more attention to him than usual. Bucky had started doing it, too, getting those squinty eyes as though he's mock suspicious, though Steve knew that was because Stark had managed to sneak past him the last cookie and Bucky still thought it was Steve who'd done it just to mess with him. Spider-Man, too, kept a noticeable distance, willingly staying in the same room as Steve only if one of Tony Starks and Doctor Strange were present. His distrust was unwarranted and insulting. _Stark_ should be the one the boy's keeping a distance from. But Spider-Man was young and kind of hero-worshiped Tony so he probably couldn't connect the thoughts that _any_ version of his mentor might be less than great. Steve kind of pitied him for that.

Strange's attention, though, was the most noticeable of all. The man's mere presence demanded attention as much as Tony's or Stark's did. He had that ability to fill up the room with a single breath taken and Steve hated him for it in team meetings the most. The man would just sit there, like right now, doing nothing and yet everyone in the room was perfectly aware he was there. He stood out. Rightfully so, what with his clothing and his personality. And that Cloak. It always demanded attention all on its own.

Strange's attention was impossible to ignore. Those ever changing eyes haven't left him for a second, as if waiting for Steve to suddenly grown a second head or something. It's been going on for a week now and it's getting on Steve's last nerve. He couldn't focus on what Fury was saying and it ticked him off. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Do I have something on my face?" His - rather aggressive, if he was being honest, but he was fed up with it, alright? - question stopped whatever the director was saying in its tracks and the whole room turned to look at him. Strange's attention somehow remained standing out and prickling his very skin despite all the eyes on them. That just angered him more.

"Yes," was the sorcerer's infuriatingly calm answer and Rogers frowned, a hand automatically coming up to wipe at his face to try and clear it up. He felt nothing under his fingers and remained frowning at the former doctor.

"What is it?"

"Stupidity." Someone actually guffawed at the other's answer before managing to cut off the sound a little too late. Steve felt his blood boil but Fury cut in before he could make a retort.

"Rogers, I've heard you had an ... interesting theory about our dimensional guest." It wasn't a question or a request. It was an order and Steve grit his teeth, knowing Strange had won this round. The bastard didn't even look smug about it, like it was beneath him. "Mind sharing what you found?"

"I believe Stark to be HYDRA," he replied, grateful that Tony was away on some SI business and that Stark was entertaining the kid elsewhere as he didn't want the man to be aware they were on to him. He might just rush his plans and more people could end up hurt.

Strange snorted, but didn't say anything beyond that. Dr Banner looked uncomfortable. Wanda seemed to agree the most with Steve and she would know. She'd seen up close how cruel and heartless HYDRA can be, taking advantage of her and her brother's grief to turn them into weapons.

"And what proof do you have of this?" Fury looked and sounded as skeptical about all of this as Strange had when he'd asked Steve if he had two brain cells to rub together after Steve had expressed his discovery that day when Stark had broken his hand. "I mean you no offence, Captain, but that is a mighty big accusation to make. Stark - or at least our world's Stark - might just hate HYDRA more than you and he _did_ say they were particularly eager to go after his head. Forgive me if I seem a bit skeptical but I'd rather not start a war with _any_ Tony Stark, especially not one we're completely unfamiliar with and can run psychological circles around us. Not to mention his story pans out as far as consistency is concerned."

"So Stark is a good liar. Nothing new there," Wanda said with a huff and Steve wondered whether he should outright agree. Fury was giving them this warning look and Steve didn't need to look at Strange to know the sorcerer was probably starting to lose patience.

"Stark is a good _actor_," Hill corrected with a deadpan expression. "There's a difference. Lying is speaking falsehoods while acting is becoming something or someone else completely. Stark uses it as a defense mechanism. He acts as people expect him to act so they wouldn't suspect he's doing something else entirely."

"That's even worse!"

"That's what's required to be a politician, a public figure or a spy," she replied to Wanda's exclamation with a shrug of her shoulders. Nat and Clint nodded. Strange stared on in disbelief. Steve didn't understand why he appeared so incredulous.

"Tony's a saint," the man ended up saying as though in prayer and Steve went to reprimand him but Strange just shook his head, turning towards Rhodes. "Or an angel. He _has_ to be. I would have snapped or screamed murder after two hours of constantly living with them. How had he managed two years?"

The Colonel just shrugged, smile small and hollow. "He's used to shit happening in his life because of fake friends." And Steve went to protest the implications of _that_ but Fury once more beat him to it.

"Stark's debatable sainthood properties can wait. We've got bigger issues at hand." That had everyone turning back to the professionals that they were, paying close attention to what the director will say. "There's been a repeat of the energy signature caused by Stark's arrival about a week ago. Stark himself gave us the readings and we went to investigate. The site was empty but definitely had the readings. We think that whatever or whoever tried to get through didn't manage it. Well, we _thought_ that until something was stolen from an old shut down HYDRA bunker we had under surveillance."

"So? Shut got stolen. Could be anyone."

"Well, _aside_ from the fact that only higher ranking HYDRA officers should even know about the existence of the thing stolen and the fact that the reinforced steel doors were _ripped open with a sharp edge_ that _must_ have had _some_ Vibranium on it since we found traces of its presence, yes, it could."

"It could have been T'Challa," Bucky suggested and Steve sent him a betrayed look. How could he so casually incriminate the man who helped him like that. "If HYDRA ever got their hands on some Wakanda tech or Vibranium, he'd be duty bound to retrieve it."

"Though if none of us had heard about it, he'd done it on his own and violated the Accords." Banner was the one to point out and Steve scowled just _thinking_ of the document that had caused so much trouble in the first place.

"King T'Challa didn't violate the Accords and he didn't do it. He didn't even know the bunker existed."

"So you're saying someone with super strength got into an old HYDRA bunker and stole from them something important? Sounds general enough. Do we know what it is?" Natasha asked and Fury shook his head. "Do we have footage?"

"None whatsoever. Whoever did it knew the bunker like the back of their own hand."

"Did you contact Tony or Stark about it?" Strange asked and Fury shook his head again. That drew a displeased tug to the sorcerer's lips. "With all due respect, Director Fury, you're in way over your head. If nothing else, they are more apt technology wise than you and we're talking about _Tony Stark_. _Two_ of them."

"Technology isn't the problem. Princess Shuri offered her help and she found nothing-"

"Yes, because it makes so much sense to ask a sixteen year old girl who'd never dealt with HYDRA a day in her life to snoop around their files and firewalls as opposed to the man who had been balls deep into technology for over forty years and had dealt with HYDRA for the past half a decade."

"Princess Shuri is a genius-"

"So is Tony," Strange cut off Sam with a roll of his eyes and Steve decided he'd had enough of the other's attitude.

"Princess Shuri has made things Tony couldn't even dream of and she's only a kid. She's the lead scientist of the most technologically advanced country in the world-"

"And thank you for proving my point," the sorcerer interrupted once again, smirking. "I never said young Princess Shuri wasn't brilliant. But she had Wakanda's wast resources at hand and centuries of an advantage of her very isolated country built on a mountain of Vibranium. When you put her in a cave with a box of scraps and she comes out wearing the first piece of technology close enough to rival Wakanda's, you can call her smarter than Tony because that _was_ what you were implying. And maybe she is, we still can't know because she's so young. But the fact stands that Tony has caught up in a decade to the most advanced technology Wakanda has, the nano Black Panther suit, and he'd done it with his _own_ innovations, had done it completely by himself, without Vibranium and the energy perks that comes with it. When Princess Shuri can create her own element, build a suit that can make Thanos bleed or stand up to the likes of Thor's powers or an attack from four Infinity Stones, then we'll talk. Until then, I'd suggest you call in Tony and not pretend you understand this world better than people who have spent forty years living and learning in it. You may be near a hundred years old, Rogers, but you've been asleep most of that time. You're the junior here. Especially to the likes of Thor and myself."

"I'm sorry, _you_?" Clint asked condescendingly but Strange just nodded, finger tapping that weird necklace he always wore.

"When you live through fourteen million six hundred and five potential futures, we can talk." There was a moment of silence in which no one knew what to think or how to react to that. They all just kind of ... _gaped_ at the man, wondering if he was on meth or something. Because _damn_. And here Steve thought _he_ looked good for a grandpa.

"Are you suggesting you are as old as me, sorcerer?" The god of thunder in question asked with a great deal of amusement in his tone but Strange actually snorted.

"Some of the futures I saw lasted less then a year, some entire lifetimes but majority of them were about five years long. Like, 12% everything else and the remaining percentage was about five years. Which means twelve million three hundred and twenty thousand five hundred twenty three point four times five years which makes about give or take sixty one million six hundred and two thousand six hundred and sixty two years which, arguably, makes me older than you by over four hundred thousand times which means I am as old as your great great great grandfather. At the _very_ least. Time Stone knows how long and how many loops I've lived and died through to properly deal with Dormammu. What?"

Steve wasn't sure about anyone else but he's pretty sure his brain just exploded. Heck, even Thor seemed baffled by the age and Banner seemed stunned by the numbers. Steve ... felt inadequate all of a sudden.

"And in all of that, there was only one possible victory?" Natasha, bless her, managed to challenge with an arched eyebrow.

Strange met her challenge with a simple shrug. "Yes, if we want it to be for the long run. There were plenty where we defeated Thanos only for something else to immediately drop on our heads and take the Stones before we can hide them. I had to choose a path that will benefit us all in the long run."

"Oh? And what's the difference between those and this path?"

"Well, Ms Romanov, when a simple, mortal man manages to singlehandedly return half of the universe from nonexistence and remain unharmed by it and when that man still lives," Strange stapled his fingers together, pushed back from the table, crossed his legs at the knee and rested his elbows on the armrests. "The universe tends to back off from his home planet."

"Are you saying the universe is afraid of someone as weak and pathetic as Stark?"

"No, Ms Maximoff. I am saying that it is fear and _respect_. For the Mad Titan had gone through you lot with ease and yet I've witnessed, as well as several others, him stand up to him on his own. No super powers. No special training. Just a man and his genius."

"He still had his armor," Steve felt the need to point out and Strange nodded, pleased.

"Exactly."

Steve felt lost.

Not long after, Fury snapped at them to get their minds back onto the topic at hand and they started discussing the bunker breach. Steve couldn't help but wonder if Stark was behind it. He still hadn't proven it to everyone else, but Stark was definitely up to something and _definitely_ not as he seemed.

He had stolen Steve's supersoldier serum, after all.

00000

Month two since Stark arrived is when the other shoe finally dropped.

It had started off as a fairly normal day, if Stephen was being honest with himself, and not just Sorcerer Supreme normal with a crisis or a disaster, but actually rather pleasant with a cup of tea and an engaging conversation with Tony, the Avengers and Peter and Stark for once nowhere in sight. Tony was even eating for once instead of just drinking coffee and he seemed ... properly relaxed for the first time since Stephen met him. And that was even despite him having to go to some corporate meeting later in the day and being dressed in a three piece suit that really had no place looking so good on him or being that snug against his ass. Damn, Stephen should probably do a better job at not staring. He was pretty sure Tony caught him a few times already.

But, then again, if he had and he hadn't said anything, should Stephen be hopeful and think that the engineer didn't mind? That it was for _Stephen's_ sake more than anything that he was showing off his _ass_ets?

They _have_ been flirting nonstop in the past few weeks. That was something to be grateful for to Stark. Seems his constant closeness with Stephen had finally rubbed off on Tony ... Or _rubbed him the wrong way_, if Stephen was _extra_ lucky. If Tony were to be jealous, Strange would be over the moon. He had no objections to waiting however long it took for Tony to get used to the idea of them being friends, let alone more, but he was more than glad that the wait might be over sooner rather than later.

But the teasingly tight pants aside, they were just talking and having fun, enjoying their preferred morning beverage and good company when Rogers walked in and both geniuses tensed. Stephen wasn't sure if it was for the same reason, but he had a feeling it was.

Rogers was off. Like, _way_ off ever since Stark broke his wrist. He, of course, deserved it and more and much, much worse but he also healed by noon of the next day. However, by evening, he started being rather ... bipolar, for the lack of a better description. There was something in his very aura, the very sense of self that Stephen felt shift through the air whenever Rogers walked by. At times, it was the suspicion he felt towards Stark, Tony and himself. It was that self-righteousness that always got on Stephen's very last nerve when the man was a walking example of hypocrisy. And then there were times like this, when no proper emotion made it into the man's aura at all, like a psychopath, like no one was home and yet something ... gleefully malicious resided there. Stephen had suspected a demon possession or mind manipulation a few times and had even brought artifacts to check, but there was no hint of anything altering Rogers' behaviors. He'd worried about what he might do if it was ever directed at either Tony Stark, but he has yet to feel it around either of them, which he was thankful for. Rogers especially seemed to avoid Stark when he was in such a mood, keeping well out of sight and the visitor's way.

That in itself was suspicious and Stephen will forever curse himself for letting himself be content that nothing more than suspicion was ever directed at either version of the man he loved.

He had let his guard down too soon.

A foolish mistake.

"Hey, Tony," Rogers greeted as he took a seat opposite the billionaire at the long bar-like kitchen counter, smiling at the genius in a way that deeply unsettled Stephen. Hell, the Cloak of Levitation was stiff and erect around his shoulders and that was very rarely a good thing. Then Rogers' attention turned to him and Stephen nearly flinched back at the hostility he felt in the air. Still, he preferred that over the barely repressed sexual desire and lust that had nearly choked the room when the blond supersoldier was looking at Tony. "Strange."

"Rogers," both goatee men replied together and Stephen enjoyed it a bit too much to notice how Tony's left hand clenched, apparently knowing Stephen will erect a shield around them with his right in a moment's notice should there be need for it and preparing to fire around it while remaining protected. They didn't know each other for long - as far as Tony's concerned, anyway - but their unconscious teamwork spoke of an understanding and trust the levels of which the Avengers never quite reached with the genius. "Aren't you usually still on your run at this time?"

"I didn't go this morning," came the casual reply, only making the two men more uneasy. Rogers never skipped out on his run. His body needed it to expel the extra energy when there was no missions. "I wanted to talk with Stark about something. It's important."

"Yeah, I think he's down in the lab. He'll come up when he wants to," Tony replied, sounding casual to anyone who didn't know him well. But Stephen did. He had over fifteen million instances to get to know the engineer and he sounded tense as all hell.

The blond frowned. "Can't you just call him up?"

"Listen, Rogers-"

"What did I do now, Tony?" An identical voice from the doorway said and all three occupants of the room stiffened and whirled around to see _another_ Steve Rogers, this one in his usual running get up, a bit sweaty with a towel around his neck and a beyond exhausted looking Sam Wilson behind him, both obviously having just came back from their morning run. The Cloak grabbed Tony and immediately dragged both him and Stephen away from the counter, flaring dangerously as soon as they had a secure footing and battle stances up and ready. The two newcomers were a bit too gobsmacked to react with the same speed but Rogers' reflexes kicked in and he fell into a fighting stance soon enough. Wilson just gawked.

The Rogers that had been there first raised his hands in defense in the face of a sizzling spell and a highly charged repulsor ready to fire. "Wait! I promise it's not what it looks like! I mean you no harm! I'm just here to get Director Stark back home."

Stephen exchanged a glance with Tony. They hung out with Stark the most but the man had _never_ said anything about any of the original Avengers beyond them falling with SHIELD. And given how Stark reacted around _their_ Rogers ... "He never mentioned someone was picking him up. How are you even here?"

"None of your business, Strange."

"Answer the question, Rogers," Tony ordered and the visiting Rogers pursed his lips, obviously reluctant to do so.

What he said wasn't an answer. "Look, Director Stark is not who he seems. He's a _dictator_. He used his technology and money to manipulate, coerce or kill and threaten all of the world leaders into giving him all the power. Hell, he makes _HYDRA_ look like the good guys. He calls himself _Director_ when tyrant or Dictator would be far more appropriate. We learned he made some device to help him go to other universes and dimensions and we have a strong suspicion he's trying to do the same to other Earths like he's done to ours. We've been trying to bring him down for years. This was deemed our best opportunity to do so, so we had Reed Richards take a look at his machine and he recreated it. I just followed the set coordinates. I won't give you trouble. I just want Stark."

Tony was tense beside him but Stephen was too busy staring in disbelief at _both_ Rogers. Because the visiting Rogers was spewing obvious _bullshit_ but their Rogers seemed to be taking it as confirmation of his own theory about Stark being HYDRA when no one else aside from Maximoff believed him. He thought he was _right_. Stephen wanted to rip him apart atom by atom. The Dark Dimension would be too good for him.

"We'll-" Rogers started to say and Stephen _dared_ him with a glare to finish that with any variation of 'help' when, once again, their conversation was interrupted, this time by a youthful, excitable voice.

"Dude! You seriously met the real actual Merlin?!"

"Of course. Knowing the Sorcerer Supreme gets you all kinds of privileges, including meeting the ghosts of the previous Sorcerers Supreme." The visiting Rogers' aura changed so drastically that Stephen had to fight against stumbling back a step when he was hit with blood lust, anticipation, carnal desire and something so incredibly dark and hostile and malicious that Stephen almost thought Rogers to be some sort of Dormammu's minion. He was not subtle at all when he broadened the shield to completely cover Tony. Not that Rogers seemed to notice.

"Dude, he was a _ghost_!? That's wicked awesome!"

"Pfft, Merlin's no big deal. Now, the Midgard Serpent, though-"

"That thing really exists!? Is it Loki's son? Have you met any of his other children? Do you think they exist in this universe, too?"

"Relax, gee, kid. You almost make me feel old. Settle down, I'll tell you all abou-" Stark was saying as he and Peter entered the kitchen area, only to sharply cut off when he saw the new addition still casually sitting there at the counter, a pleasant fake smile stretched on his lips. Strange watched in fascination as the man went stiff as a board and pushed Peter back into the hallway as his eyes went even colder than they usually seemed to be. "Rogers."

"Hello, Tony," the visiting blond replied, his smile turning in an unsettling grin. Stark's lips thinned in displeasure.

"Director Stark," he corrected, fists clenching and his body subtly falling into a defensive stance. The Rogers with Wilson and said man looked on in confusion as to the tense atmosphere, though Rogers opened his mouth to say something - and it was probably for the best that his new counterpart had beat him to it because Stephen was ready to literally bite his head off if he made any stupid comments right then.

"Bye, Tony," the visitor said as he suddenly pulled out a big, advanced looking gun and fired.


	5. Chapter 5

**S Or S**

**Summary: The war is over, everyone is back and the Avengers are together, working like a well oiled machine once again. Right? But what if a different Mechanic comes for a visit? What cracks and rusty cogs will he see? And what troubles will he bring from his own workshop?  
Or: It might be the first time Tony hated science right alongside magic.**

Tony had only enough time to brace himself before the powerful energy shot blasted him straight out of the kitchen, through a wall of reinforced concrete and bulletproof glass before he was outside, cuts and other injuries already healing as Extremis did its job. The armor was around him before he hit the glass but hadn't surrounded him fully when he had went through the wall so he had some back aches as they healed faster than any supersoldier serum or mutation could deal with them. The blast itself hadn't done more than burn through his clothes and give him second degree burns, which were also healing up rather nicely. That aside, he had fared extremely well.

He bounced once off of the grass before he pivoted on the second in the air so he can land in his signature crouch on one knee, fist on the ground as he skip a bit more across the yard of the Compound before coming to a stop. There was a big hole in the floor to ceiling windows of the hallway leading to the kitchen and the wall separating said parts of the Compound. The grass was a bit disturbed and overturned but a gardener will be able to fix that, no biggie. The problem was coming through the hole after him, that gun still pointed at him with that fake smile Tony despised. This world's Stark, Strange, Rogers and Wilson came running out from the door leading from the kitchen to the outside, apparently of the mind to surround him as the Compound's alarm blared throughout the building, informing the rest of this world's Avengers about the situation. Tony didn't pay them much heed, looking over Rogers' shoulder to check on Peter and signing in relief when he not only found the boy fine but already covered in the Iron Spider suit, no doubt KAREN's precaution to ensure nothing happens to the teen. He looked ready to block Rogers' escape should he try to go back into the building through the hole.

_'J?'_

_-Running full diagnostics, Sir. Scanning. And we are 100% operational.-_ It was always a relief to hear JARVIS' voice, especially after being stuck in a place he no longer existed. Tony's counterpart had had it rougher than Tony had first thought.

When he had first arrived here, the very first thing he did even as he greeted this world's Avengers was scourge the Internet with JARVIS to discover what sort of world he had landed in. The chaos he found was not amusing at all. His counterpart was nearly run into the ground, by himself and others, he had saved the universe and he got no true recognition, he is blamed for everything and yet also expected to fix everything as well. He had loved and lost - not nearly as much as Tony had; he still had his Pepper and Happy and Rhodey actually had time to hang out with him outside of missions, even if he was paralyzed as a price of that - he had trusted and been betrayed. He had been beaten down again and again and again, by the world, by his 'teammates', his 'friends' as well as by various villains. And yet he had gotten back up again and again, received more punches or turned the other cheek for the Avengers and it had nearly broken him enough that Thanos could have killed him.

Strange, as always, was a blessing in a very good disguise. His friendship with Stark may have been the only thing that had stopped Stark from going off the deep end from all of that pent up PSTD and the broken off engagement with Pepper. Well, that and Peter and Harley and the thought of what his death would do to Rhodey. Tony could get behind that. Strange had been his own grounding presence, his anchor more times than he can count. He had seen him through his lowest point, just after the fall of SHIELD as he tried to put it all back together while dealing with the betrayal and the tragedies as well as getting used to his new status quo as an enhanced. He had never wanted to lose his humanity, to be anything more or less than human. Extremis might have been ready and experimented on until it was perfected, but it was always supposed to be the very last resort, meant for Thanos only. Like his counterpart, Tony had been as plagued by the alien army on the other side of the wormhole as he was. They hadn't known their enemy's name but they had prepared the best they could. The only difference was that Tony had prepared the whole planet while Stark hadn't been allowed to prepare the Avengers themselves.

"How did you get here, Rogers?" Tony asked, even though he knew the answer. The man just smiled, recharged his gun and fired at Tony again. He dodged perfectly this time, firing back, trying to get him away from Peter.

"You should know by now how many scientists would give up their right arm to get a chance to look at your technology, Tony. Reed was rather _enthusiastic_ to have a look. We didn't even have to threaten his family. Much. Enough of your contraption remained that he was able to figure out how to fix it. You really should have destroyed it if you were trying to get away from me, Tony. You should have tried harder."

Tony couldn't help but snort. Rogers was always so full of himself he often forgot Tony could have made the machine portable, meaning down to the size of a chip if he had wanted to. But no, he had _wanted_ others to find and be able to understand his universe-hopping device just for this reason. Tony may have escaped from their mass assassination to another universe but they knew he could just as easily come back. He knew that they'd do their all to prevent that humongous amount of cash going to waste because their hired assassins had no one to kill and will just get their money regardless. He had counted on it. This entire _plan_ depended on it.

And it had worked.

"What's going on? What are you talking about? Why did you attack Stark like that? You could have gotten someone hurt!" Captain America asked the questions one after another, most directed at Rogers. "You said you'll just take him, without causing trouble!"

And Rogers laughed, taking aim and firing at Tony again. He dodged, firing back a barrage of attacks at the supersoldier. He just needed to subdue him and he could go back home. The sooner the better. Carol hated paperwork and if she was going to fill in his spot, she was going to have to deal with _a lot_ of paperwork.

"You are so _gullible_," Rogers snorted, rolling out of the way of the attacks before turning the gun at the four men and firing, the Captain and Falcon scattering while Stark and Strange erected shields of magic and technology meant to defend them all, only to roll their eyes at the 'show of unity' the other two had displayed. "You really thought it would be that easy? That this wasn't personal between us? Oh, it is _so much more than personal_, wouldn't you agree Director Stark?"

"Unfortunately, _Captain Hydra_." Gasps echoed all around them, including the Avengers that had just arrived. Rogers just pouted, like Tony had ruined his fun. He had probably wanted to string them all along to help him take Iron Man down. Not that the Director of SHIELD was going to allow that. He had specifically removed them from their universe so there would be no interference in this final showdown. Tony was finally going to take him out, no matter what it takes. It will be a huge blow to HYDRA for their supersoldier to disappear, especially after they lost Barnes when he broke the Winter Soldier conditioning and instead joined SHIELD and when Jessica had wrung Madam Hydra's neck last year. The only enhanced left in their arsenal was Steven Grant Rogers, especially if Tony's plan for taking down the Maximoff twins had worked out. It would. He trusted Carol, Vision and Strange to take care of things while he was gone. Those two had to be stopped before they ruin or take any more lives.

"Come now, _Director_," the blond HYDRA supersoldier purred at him, abandoning the Avengers in favor of focusing on the other visitor. "We had such a great time together! Oh how I loved the way you squirmed under me as I choked the breath out of you. Your trashing was quite amusing ... And _arousing_."

Tony didn't allow himself to spiral down that nightmare lane at seeing Rogers' salacious grin, instead gritting his teeth and activating missals, leaving it to JARVIS to pick their route as he aimed repulsors at the man. Rogers took out his shield - the shield Tony's _father_ made and that fell into Nazi hands just as the sleeping-on-ice Captain America had after the war ended and HYDRA went underground - and blacked or dodged the attacks, throwing what Tony recognized as those pesky barrier generators around and separating them from the Avengers when they tried launching at him in turn. The supersoldier then turned all his attention to Tony and the two clashed.

This wasn't the first time they went head to head but Tony had been preparing for this day, for this moment when he made it the last time. They knew each other's moves fairly well after all these years of fighting each other but Tony always brought something new to the table. Ever since he got Extremis, he was literally ever changing. Not even he himself knew what the serum was doing to him half of the time. It had started with technopathy and a super healing factor but he had somehow gotten enhanced strength and senses along the way, which sharpened his reflexes and allowed him a greater awareness of his surroundings. Of course, he had to get used to all these changes and train himself to use them. Over the years, more appeared. Now, he had the ability to charge electricity through his body, his brain almost literally operated like a super computer and he was almost immune to drowning. Well, not entirely but he had experimented and he could spend an entire _day_ without taking a breath and he had never dared test it for longer periods of time because Extremis had surged forward to make more changes and he didn't know what the result would be. His adaptability skipped entire _evolutionary_ _stages_ and he often times didn't even have a say in it. The nanites coursing through his body just made the modifications they observed were beneficial and usually JARVIS and Tony both had to make sure they don't go changing anything vital. Like that one time they almost gave him an uterus when someone teased him about how he should have a certain someone's babies to check how their combined _particularities_ would transfer to the kid. _Fuck_ Charles Xavier and _fuck_ his obsession with mutation of genes. The entirety of the mutant population would benefit more from him letting Magneto screw him than any of his research.

Either way, the point was that Extremis always gave Tony a bit of the edge. He'd learned he could learn martial arts moves by watching them being done on the Internet. His mind would calculate and memorize every angle, ever motion, every twist and pull of muscles. He only needed to practice it in real life a few days before the move would settle in his muscle memory and he could use it with the same ease as riding a bike or driving a car. He had nearly gotten rid of Rogers the first time he appeared with some kung fu knowledge on his side had it not been for the combined efforts of Madam Hydra and the Black Widow.

Yes, the first Avengers split down the middle with the fall of SHIELD, caused by none other than the traitor Steve Rogers, though it's not like SHIELD had known Rogers was HYDRA. _No one_ would think Captain America was HYDRA. But he was. And he betrayed them, took his half of the Avengers and ran as he set up the Helicarriars to fall with all the agents and remaining Avengers with them. Barton and Romanov had went with him, betraying their long standing loyalty with SHIELD - Barton mostly because they had let Loki leave to be tried in Asgard and Romanov because she had taken Loki's words to heart and realized it really didn't matter on which side she fought, there'd always be red in her ledger and so she preferred to be with the man who had been her partner for years than people she didn't trust and who didn't trust her - while Tony was left to pick up the pieces. The Hulk escaped, hiding off somewhere Tony had never been able to find him again until the Red Hulk appeared with glasses he gave Tony as all that was left of Bruce Banner. Tony still didn't know whether that meant he was dead, the Hulk wasn't giving back control or that Banner had left the planet - in his universe, that was perfectly normal. Thor went back and forth between Earth and it wasn't like he knew all that much about leading a secret spy organization, let alone rising it from the ground after the way it had fallen. He only became a permanent presence after Thanos nearly destroyed Asgard in his quest for the Infinity Stones and the Mad Titan was defeated.

His world's Avengers were an entirely different bunch than this world's.

The fight wasn't easy, either way. After HYDRA caught on to the fact that Tony could do all sorts of shit with his new enhancement, they started training Rogers more to be better suited to take on this new 'Superior Iron Man' as they called him. He had to learn a few new tricks, too, including fighting with weapons other than the Vibranium shield, which introduced the toys Rogers was using now. But Tony's enhanced senses weren't _naturally_ enhanced. His brain was a computer. It adjusted the settings of his senses' sensitivity if something was too bright, too dark, too loud or smelled _really_ bad, like Barton's socks. Tony could fight on undisturbed by such tactics. Others, however ...

His entire body seized as Rogers managed to slap something on his hip, an almost binary whine of pain escaping his lips as he felt an uncomfortable, unfortunately familiar current run through his body. This was not the first time HYDRA equipped Rogers with EMP devices to take out his suit, his nanites or his Arc Reactor. They had to upgrade them as frequently as Tony consciously or subconsciously made changes to his designed. Every now and then, they'd manage to hit the right frequency, like now, and his armor would start retreating back into his body, leaving him half exposed. His legs and a part of his torso were still covered in silver armor, his arms up to his wrist on the left and only a little lower than his shoulder on the right. His hips and midsection were mostly vulnerable and Tony hated it. His nanobots were, of course, already combating it, changing frequencies as fast as they could and reactivating themselves, but the Arc Reactor in his chest was still deactivated.

"Shit," he cursed vehemently and it actually had nothing to do with his current situation - it was temporary and short-lasting and it wasn't the first time, nor was there any shrapnel or deadly injuries to worry about - but rather what will result from it. Namely, a certain security measure out in place after the first time something like this happened. As long as Rogers doesn't touch him before the Reactor is up and running again-

_'Double shit!'_ He cursed in his mind as said supersoldier marched over to him and grabbed his chin, lifting him bodily up off the ground and pressing his back against his front, his free hand moving towards Tony's waist. _'Don't you _dare_!?'_

"How very innocent this world's Tony is, wouldn't you agree?" Captain Hydra mused in his ear, grinning at the Avengers of this world. Stark had somehow managed to disable the barrier - not surprising, seeing he _was_ Tony Stark - and they had charged forward, only to stop when they noticed his situation. He grit his teeth. They probably thought he was a helpless hostage when it was the furthest thing from the truth. Even at this very second, more and more of the nanites recalibrated and he'll soon be able to kick Rogers' ass. And that's if _Rogers_ is lucky. There are just people you shouldn't piss off and Rogers had crossed a line _years_ ago. He was past the point of no return. "But, then again, he didn't have me or Strange to show him what the world is _really_ like, did he? No, he had these _weaklings_ to surround himself with. It's quite pathetic, really. I'm sure you're aware of this. Though tell me, _Director_, how does it feel to be at my mercy yet again?"

"Again?" This world's Sorcerer Supreme asked in a voice Tony recognized from his own to be one so tight with barely suppressed anger that when all that rage eventually explodes, celestial bodies and the sky itself will be moved and rearranged. Rogers knew it pretty damn well, too, given he and Strange were always at each other's throats.

And judging from the leering grin pressed against the skin on the side of his neck, Rogers planned on pissing another Sorcerer Supreme. "Oh, yes. Tony and I go _way_ back. There was a time when I had him underneath me, helpless, powerless," the hand at his hip tugged out his shirt as the blond talked, revealing a scar Tony _refused_ to let Extremis heal until he rids himself and the world of the man holding him. "And oh so scared but so beautifully _defiant_. Too bad I had to leave him as broken, damaged goods."

Any he tried not to flinch at those words or to be bothered by the horrified and outraged looks on everyone's faces as they put all the pieces together. Captain America the Uncorrupted - well, delusional and ignorant but not corrupt at least - looked ready to be sick. Stark was pale as a sheet of paper. And Stephen Strange ... He looked ready to disregard his oaths as a doctor and commit _murder_. It reminded him too much of his own Stephen Strange and he tried not to remember how _filthy_ he had felt upon waking up and letting it all settle down in his mind. Due to Extremis, his memory was as immortal as a computer's, as the Internet's. He will never forget.

And Strange had been _so gentle_ with him as he tried to help him stand on his own two feet again, steady and proud like he pretends he is for the sake of everyone who's relying on him ... Tony's heart aches for the man. He had been so patient for _so long_ ... He didn't deserve Tony's shit. He should find someone else instead of waiting for a broken man for so long.

Rogers wasn't wrong in saying Tony was damaged goods, but not because of what that traitor had done. It was a long journey of pain and betrayal and loss before that moment that made _Director Stark_ damaged goods.

How Strange didn't see that, Tony wasn't sure but it never the less made him ache for the man. _He_ was pathetic.

None of the Avengers, though, looked at his face as shame made him color a slight pink. They were instead staring at the scar on his abdomen, leading towards his pelvis. The scar Rogers made when he cut the shape of HYDRA's symbol into his skin with a rusty, slightly dull knife, grinning all the while as he damaged his organs and bones in the process. It was really a painful process and a traumatizing memory that often replayed itself in his nightmares. Many people have tried to convince him to just get rid of the scars but he always refused. It was a reminder to him of what needed to be done. He won't rest until HYDRA is eliminated, starting with Rogers. He'd survived and defeated Thanos and dozens of beings as strong or stronger than him. Someone as tiny and insignificant as Rogers won't be his downfall.

"Still, he's quite beautiful, isn't he? All helpless and at my mercy. Oh, we're going to have so much fun, Tony."

And Tony couldn't help but chuckle at the boasting, especially as more and more systems came back online. Mainly the ones he had dedicated to picking up _certain flows of energy_ indicating certain things were about to go down. Usually, he would have tried to hurry up the process of 'rebooting his systems', but he figured he needed a more comfortable and controlled way home. Not to mention that he was finally ready to get him some cuddles. Watching his alternate self pine after this version of Strange and the other pine even more had sort of solidified his determination to finish this here and now, no matter what it takes. Strange had waited long enough for his answer. So he did nothing and let the spell meant to locate him should he ever be in serious trouble - for example, should his Arc Reactor ever stop working longer than he usually needed to force it back to working order again - do its job and he waited and stalled until the first alerts blared in his brain that magic was happening.

He didn't even wince when Rogers roughly pulled his head back, exposing his neck. "And what, pray tell, is so funny, Director Stark? Or are you finally ready to submit to me at last?"

"You're a damn fool, Rogers," Tony answered, smirking. "I'm the Director of Earth, the most important man on the planet, our intergalactic representative and friend of many other planetary leaders. If you think I'd _ever_ be left unprotected, _especially_ in the case of an Arc Reactor failure, then you're seriously underestimating my teams or overestimating my trust issues and paranoia."

"I don't exactly see anyone coming to your rescue," he challenged and Tony snorted. He let the portal that opened speak for itself.

Though he _was_ slightly impressed with the murder aura that filled up the area.

Damn it.

00000

"Strange," Steve spat as the Sorcerer Supreme stepped into this pathetic version of their own universe, glaring daggers at his arch nemesis and rival. Doctor Stephen Strange, though, didn't spare him any greetings.

Even Steve had to admit that the murder in his eyes was terrifying, especially as the man usually avoided spilling blood as much as he can.

"Release him, Rogers, and I _may_ let you live to see your trial," was the only response the Master of the Mystic arts gave, barely sparing anyone else a glance. His arrogance always got on Steve's nerves. Strange always thought he was superior to everyone else, better than anyone he ever meets, showing disrespect to his betters. Steve will have to admit that the only one Strange _did_ show any respect for was Tony, but Tony was Director Stark and even Steve had to admit he damn well earned all the respect he gets. Tony was Tony and the universe was aware.

Strange, though, was just an arrogant, spoiled brat undeserving of even breathing the same air as Tony and Steve. They were powerhouses. They were household names, polar opposites and yet everyone always put them in the same context as each other. Even before Steve showed where his true allegiance lies, people had made them a duo, had even thought them to be the ideal couple that completes one another. They were _something_ and _someone_. They've made their names for themselves.

Strange had just walked in and got recognition he didn't deserve. He didn't even deserve the _power_ he wields so carelessly. Such power should be used to right the world, to lead it to a better place, not hide behind books and cryptic answers and reasons as to why not to. Hell, a good part of his strength was not even his own, but stolen from another! _All_ of his power is not his own but taken from various dimensions. And the other sorcerers, they didn't follow Strange out of loyalty or respect, like people followed Steve and Tony. They followed him because of an oath to protect the Earth and they had no choice in the matter since Strange was 'the most powerful one of them'. They had no choice. And Strange didn't give them one. Strange didn't give anyone a choice where he was concerned. Even Steve offered a choice: do or die. It probably wasn't fair but it was a choice none the less.

"Come any closer, Strange, and it will be a corpse I'm releasing. It would be a shame - I think we can _both_ agree that a man as beautiful and as smart as him will never come by again - but my first loyalty is to HYDRA," Steve felt the need to remind, tightening his hold on Tony's jugular. If Strange indeed made another step, he will rip it out and watch Tony die. HYDRA's goal was above everything else. Especially some lust and entertainment. Tony would be a valuable ally if only he wasn't so stubborn. With anyone else, he'd hold out hope that they would change their mind but Tony Stark will never. He was too stubborn and too set in his ways. Killing him will indeed be a pity but he couldn't be left to live. The people believed in him and loved him too much. He'd seen the lengths they'd go to in order to get him back.

Steve could relate, he really could. Tony was a treasure, a gift that kept on giving.

Which is why he must die either way.

His threat was not appreciated by the former doctor, judging by the sudden wind that picked up, howling wickedly as magic surged through the air. Steve held on, though. Strange's intimidation tactics didn't work on him. He knows what the man is capable of.

And then a crimson sigil appeared on the man's forehead and reality shattered behind him and a feeling of dread, heavy as lead, dropped on Rogers. Judging my how stiff Tony became and a glance at this world's Avengers gathered behind him, they felt it too. They didn't need to be magical in any way to feel that dark power coursing around them, through the very fabric of existence as a nightmare opened behind Strange. His counterpart was staring at him in disbelief and Steve almost pitied the man. It must be hard to find out some version of you could be such a monster.

Strange's status and position back in their universe was always under question. Was he a hero or a villain? He held control over the darkest, cruelest, most evil of dimensions by his own admittance, having struck a deal with its demonic master or something. He claims it was done with the protection of Earth as the endgame but Steve had never believed that. Strange was just as lustful for power as everyone else was. He wanted to have the power to make others submit to his will and carry out his wishes. Steve knew his type. He wasn't blind. Strange only fought for himself. That had always been clear. The Avengers and Tony especially were just oblivious to it, too taken in by his charm and what he brought to the table to see his true nature.

His true desires.

Strange was prideful. He was arrogant. He believed on one but Tony was worthy of being with him. And what's worse, he believed _he_ was worthy of being with _Tony_. Steve had seen his many sickening attempts at wooing the brunet but Tony had always been smart. He may be taken in by Strange but he never accepted any of his advances. Still, Strange was persistent, believing Tony was just playing hard to get, not seeing that the only one who can stand as his equal was actually Steve.

It sickened him and pissed him off.

Strange had no right to stand by Tony's side. The spectacle before them just proved Steve's point.

No one who channeled the power of the Dark Dimension deserved to be _near_ Tony Stark, least of all the man that had forced it and its master to submit to his will.

Steve grinned, trying not to show just how unnerved and, honestly, how _scared_ he was by the display of power. He hated the most that Strange was still powerful enough that the dark magic couldn't pull him under its influence. Besides the sigil on his forehead, unlike with all the others that drew power from Dormammu's domain - they had _all_ met Mordo, the sorcerer driven insane by some sort of betrayal done by Strange's little magic cult - Strange showed no other signs of drawing on that dark energy. There were no purple cracks under his eyes or a gray, almost rock like complexion around them. Strange only looked like he hadn't slept last night with slight bags underneath his eyes, which only made the fury in them more unnerving. Steve tried not to let it get to him, or at least not to _show_ how much it did. He was the one with the advantage right now. He had a hostage, the precious, invaluable Director Stark, Iron Man, the savor of the universe and its hero. Strange's obsession.

As long as he had Tony as a human shield, he was safe. "That's it. Show us all your true colors. Show everyone the monster that you are."

"Stephen," Tony said and Steve frowned, annoyed. Tony never called _him_ by his first name anymore. He tightened his grip on his hostage when those ever changing eyes focused on Tony in a microsecond. There was a tense silence stretching on for what felt like forever ...

And then Steve yelped and cursed in pain as his right leg was stomped on with the strength and force of an elephant. Involuntarily, his grip loosened in surprise, which was more than enough for Tony to wrench himself free, his Extremis apparently having regained control over his body once again and the Captain cursed all over again as he launched for the genius. He never made it as he found himself bound by those crimson bands things Strange often used to restrain opponents, unable to move and struggling to breathe. He cursed even more as those rock like creatures, the Mindless Ones, walked out of the rift in reality, marching towards him as their eyes glowed not that sickening purple but the gold-orange of Strange's power. They held him up off the ground and presented him to the Director of Earth.

Tony regarded him with eyes colder than the Siberian winter in which their counterparts had fought and the Stark of this world was left behind in. For the first time, those Arc Reactor blue eyes caused dread to spread through Rogers' body.

"Is it done?" The Director asked the Sorcerer Supreme, who came to stand a step behind him on his right side.

"Your plan worked out perfectly. Every last one of the HYDRA bases left on Earth have been found, overtaken, swept through with a fine comb and then burned to the ground. All of the agents were found and all of the labs have been shut down. The only ones left are Captain Hydra and one of their scientists. No one major. We await further instructions."

"Plan?" Someone asks behind them but neither of the three visitors pay them any heed.

Instead, Tony takes out those handcuffs of his that suppress any and all special abilities. He stood tall and proud, eyes sharp, voice steady. "Steven Grant Rogers, AKA Captain Hydra, as Director of SHIELD, the New Avengers Initiative and of Earth, I hereby arrest you for acts of treason, planetary terrorism, abuse, homicide and crimes against mankind. You have a right to remain silent. Anything you say _will_ be used against you in the court of law. You have a right to a lawyer - if one will be willing to defend you. If you can't find a willing lawyer, then too fucking bad. You should have thought about that when you killed three judges and five lawyers last year. You will have no rights to a phone call for security reasons. If one proves to be necessary, it will be monitored under my strict supervision. I would wish you luck in your case, but everyone knows what awaits you. Just be fucking happy it's not in the hands of those you've wronged. No one would begrudge us for taking vengeance."

Steve snorted, even though he knew everything he did and said now was just going to make his case harder. But what would be the point either way? He knew it was a life sentence at best that was waiting for him. "There it is. You've finally showed _your_ true face. What's the matter, _Director_? Won't give a prisoner his full rights just because he's slighted you? It just shows how big of a hypocrite you a-"

And then everything was cold. So, so, so _cold_. Steve didn't even know when it had happened or how, all he knew was that his awareness was slipping. It was almost like he was encased in _ice_. He could see shapes - there was still light, even though he would have preferred darkness - blurry as they might be and some sounds reached his ears - probably because they were enhanced; otherwise, he might as well be deaf - but it was muted, distant.

"What the hell was that!?" He heard a vaguely familiar voice but with all the wrong emotional intonations in it say from ... somewhere.

"Ice held him for seventy years. I figured it will hold him perfectly well until everything is set for his trial."

And those were the last words Captain Hydra heard before all fell silent as he slipped into the cold.

00000

Stephen couldn't take his eyes off of them. It was like one of his fantasies come to life and he thought he was dreaming, despite his third eye and supernatural senses telling him it was, in fact, not the case. He was in a different universe and the reason he was seeing double was because _his_ Tony Stark was talking to the Tony Stark indigenous to this world.

The sight still made him shift uncomfortably, thankful that he had for once chosen his loose blue robes instead of the black assembly he usually wore around the genius, and that he had skipped the high collared trench coat outfit as well, for he was feeling very hot at the moment.

Two Tony Stark may not be too much for one world but it would seem they might be too much for Stephen Strange. Just the thought of all the fun they could have, with or without Stephen's clones, had the Sorcerer Supreme extremely grateful for an edict memory. This will be fuel for more fantasies than he could hope to count without getting embarrassed or turned on.

And then there was his own alternate self, the Stephen Strange of this universe, too. That promised even more fun.

_'If only I could tempt them all for one fun night.'_ Oh well. Maybe he'll manage it some other time, now that he knows which universe they belong to. He needs to talk his Tony into it first, since the poor man's been practically a celibate since the fall of SHIELD a few years ago. Well, except that one time when Stephen jerked him off when the stress and pressure of it all had become too much and the man had started unraveling and splitting at the seams right in front of him. The genius had been so panicked afterwards and Stephen learned why only too late and in the most disturbing way possible as he helped Tony clean up and to this day, he doesn't remember a time when he had been _that_ angry in his entire life. Rogers was receiving a mercy he didn't deserve.

His alternate version was avoiding even looking at him. Stephen didn't begrudge him. He could sense how pure and bright the other's magic still was while undercurrents of his own had been forever changed, marked by the darkness of the darkest of dimensions, giving him a wicked and malicious aura even when he was perfectly happy and content. This Stephen Strange will never understand that, though. He was the protector of the Time Stone. He had had it with him when he had faced Dormammu. But in Stephen's world, in the wake of the Ancient One's death, Stephen was somehow the strongest sorcerer left. _He_ was the last one with the power necessary to seal the Dark Dimension away for good, the last one who had enough to offer in a bargain to keep Dormammu away should it come to that. It was up to him to go into the Dark Dimension and deal with the demon. But he had still been a novice with only a handful of spells under his belt set on a suicidal task that was sure to fail no matter what he did.

So Stephen bargained, his service to Dormammu for the safety of Earth, and the demon had accepted.

But Stephen had been clever about it. He had bargained his soul to several other entities as well, thus ensuring none of them had claim to _all_ of his soul and thus ensuring _none_ of them had _any_ credible claim to it. They'd have to fight each other for it and he'd have the delight of watching them. If magic had a cost, which it did, he had ensured _he_ was not the one paying it. With all of his contracts, he gained power and knowledge while losing nothing in turn. Even if an entity asked specifically for _his death_, they couldn't have it as Lady Death had claimed that for herself. Now, his magic was not just his own, which unfortunately did not leave it as pure and bright as this Strange's did.

That, however, did not make him a monster or a villain. He was not evil. He had sworn to protect Earth to the cost of his very being, the heart of his essence.

The Vishanti had still chosen him for their champion, their Sorcerer Supreme.

His journey to become the man he is now wasn't any easier than Strange's. His hands may not tremble but they were scarred and he'll never be able to hold a scalpel again, regardless of their steadiness. He still had much to learn in the wake of Dormammu's 'defeat', especially how to harness the powers and privileges the many deals he had made had bestowed upon him. He still had enemies to fight, friends to make, worlds to protect and defeats to swallow like a bitter pill. He was far from invincible or immortal, even though he liked to portray himself to be.

Tony was the only one who knew.

Tony was the only one he trusted with that knowledge.

He tried to be a fair and unbiased Sorcerer Supreme, to not meddle too much into the affairs of the Avengers and their associates, but Tony was the limit and the exception of that rule. Of _all_ of his rules. He had fallen for the man, _hard_, before he had noticed it. By the time SHIELD fell and that one time he had jerked the man off, Stephen had been so deeply in love with him that learning what Rogers had done had nearly been enough for him to unleash the Dark Dimension onto the world while he hoarded the newly minted Director Stark somewhere no one will be able to hurt him again. Only Tony himself had managed to stop him.

Tony has been aware of his feelings in some form before that already, but Stephen had outright called him 'the man he loved' to his face while he ranted at him for wanting to strip his abuser of his life and soul, so by now he knew Stephen's been in love with him for years. Stephen never pushed him into a relationship, not when he knew Tony can't accept his feelings, not the way Stephen's hoping for. He knows Stark is _fond_ of him at the very least, likes him more than most people, but he can't _accept_ his feelings. Not while Rogers still walked the Earth as a free man. Tony always had this fear that the blond supersoldier will come back to ruin whatever relationship he may start as a result of the man's obsession. Stephen never bothered to point out a fact they both knew, that he can easily defend himself and destroy Rogers in the same breath, knowing Tony didn't mean just physical attacks.

For all that he was the most loved man in the world, Tony feared trusting that love because of how those who he had trusted before had treated him.

But that was okay. Stephen could wait. With the changes that had happened in both of their lives, they'd both live for decades and more longer than most of their companions and enemies. He will wait for Tony however long the Director might need.

But judging from his relaxed posture, the ease that floated around him like an aura, the _peace_ his actual aura _was_ projecting and the quick glances the man threw his way every minute, perhaps his wait has come to an end. At the very least, he will finally have an answer as to whether a _they_ was possible between them.

"Well, at least when we get back, for a while it won't be my two Ss being a pain in the ass, just my double Ss." That claim, though, drew everyone's attention, including his own, to the conversation the two Iron Men were having. It drew keen interest that Tony didn't seem aware of.

"I'm sorry, your two Ss? What do they have anything to do with that? And what _are_ even your two Ss, anyway? You never answered that," the Wilson of this world - his counterpart was already waiting for his own trail in a cell back home - asked, sounding incredulous and a bit annoyed.

Tony chuckled and it sounded _free_. Stephen wanted to hear it again. This fools may not realize it, but _his_ Tony was worse off than their's. He very rarely laughed or enjoyed himself. "Right. Well, would it help if I said it was my two _Stevens/Stephens_? Everyone just got used to calling them Tony Stark's two Ss and any headache concerning either of them let alone the two of them together goes into a frankly too large file named S Or S, or S. O. S." Tony said with a smirk, getting a snort from his and Stephen's counterpart.

"And the new 'double Ss?" Romanov questioned and Tony shrugged, gesturing to his fellow visitor.

"Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme. Double S times two," the genius even had the gall to _wink _at Stephen. That was _his_ move! Not that he minded much. He'll just get back at Tony with it at another time. "Pain in the ass extraordinaire."

"And, hopefully, quite literally, too. And soon." And Stark slapped a hand over his own mouth, eyes wide and terrified as a tense, stifling silence settled all around them. Both engineers were red in the face and not daring to look at either former neurosurgeon, avoiding even looking at the stunned Avengers. Stephen could see his counterpart, too, was flushed red and he won't deny the surprising exclamation hadn't ... well, _surprised_ him, but he was rather pleased, too. Perhaps his wait is over. "Oh god, what did I just say?" The brown eyed Stark bemoaned but Stephen's Tony seems to have recovered some. Not unexpected, given the man was usually shameless and especially that his brain processed everything extra fast. A second is a nanosecond for him. He probably had enough time to be embarrassed, freak out, calm down, think about it, decide he'll yolo it and resolve himself to his decision before he all but pushed Stark straight into Strange's arms, making them both yelp.

"You've already said it. Better own up to it." Those electric blue eyes he'd come to love even more than the brown they used to be - for only _he_ ever saw them _this_ open and warm like a cloudless summer sky - settled on him and Stephen held his breath. This was the moment he was waiting for. For _six years_. Whatever Tony said next- "I know I plan to."

has stopped functioning. System shutdown. Reboot. Reboot!

Tony was staring at him in this almost _shy_ way and Stephen just wanted to _eat him up_. Or out. _Vishanti_, that sounded like a plan!

"I was under the impression your two Ss in a sexual context repulsed you and that you found their egos repulsive."

Tony regarded Romanov like she was crazy. "Okay, one, you asked if _they_ were my lovers. Stephen and Rogers, together, at the same time. That would be a blood bath and I'd end up suffering the most from their competitiveness. I probably wouldn't even walk away from such an encounter. Or would just decide to join a monastery and be done with sex for the rest of time." Stephen grimaced at the idea and the possible consequences as well. Tony was right to find it repulsive. Stephen almost wanted to hurl at the thought of him and Rogers leaning over Tony both. He didn't want to _share_ his beloved! "Two, you might have missed the hint, but _Rogers_ isn't exactly a good guy in my world. The things he's done ... To me and to others ... There's a _very real_ kill on sight order back home for him. No one would lose sleep in the night over him. And _three_, _yes_, their egos _can_ be repulsive. This one," he pointed to Stephen, causing him to arch an eyebrow at his companion. "At least has something to boast about."

Strange flushed again, Stark's eyes went even wider, Colonel Rhodes - huh, he hadn't seen the War Machine pilot in a while - covered young Spider-Man's ears - like _that_ would prevent Peter's enhanced hearing - and a few Avengers groaned at the blatantly stated hint.

Stephen, though, just sidled up to Tony and put his hands boldly on the man's hips, pulling him against himself. "Unless you plan on inviting our alternates to our first night together, we're heading back _now_. I want Rogers out of my hair at the first opportunity and _you_ in my bed even quicker. Unless you want dinner first?" He looked up at the bright morning sky, changing his assessment. "Brunch?"

Tony's eyes were locked on his lips when he looked back to the Director. He only cast a passing glance to their counterparts before focusing back on Stephen. "Bed?"

And Stephen grinned, opened a veil between their reality and this, on the other side of which there was a large group of rather panicked people jumping to their feet and cheering when they caught sight of the Director of Earth about to be returned to them. Carol looked the most revealed, given she'd been dealing with piles of paperwork that Tony usually went through on a daily basis but he was practically a supercomputer and she simply was not. Stephen himself spared their counterpart a glance even as he wound his arms around Tony and started leading him through the portal, sending the Hydra Capsicle through first to be properly dealt with.

"Time waits for no one," he advised them both before dipping Tony and kissing him soundly so both groups could hear. Then he quickly flew them through to their cheering friends, closing the veil and letting up only when he was satisfied. Tony was breathless but smiling in his arms, seeming to devotedly be following his own condition of finding happiness only upon arresting Rogers. Stephen didn't mind.

It just meant he could kiss Tony as much as he liked, whenever he wanted, wherever they might be and he was taking advantage of this new privilege.

The prize was definitely worth the wait.

Director Tony Stark, Iron Man, always will be.

00000

In a different universe, Tony Stark felt a buzz come from his phone and took it out to see a text message from Tony Stark. It was simple and to the point and brought tears to his eyes.

_Don't waste it. Don't waste your life._

"Tony?" He looked up to see a concerned Sorcerer Supreme leaning in towards him, looking uncertain by the tears he was seeing. And for once, Tony didn't try to deny it or think the former neurosurgeon crazy for caring for him. He just smiled up at the taller man and asked for a coffee. Stephen in turn blinked before offering his own smile. "Of course. I know just the place."

And as he stepped through a portal leading to his favorite coffee shop in Italy, Tony couldn't help but promise himself that he wouldn't.

Two doctors have saved his life. He managed to get one out of a deadly situation. He had him here now.

He won't waste it.

He won't.

**THE END**


End file.
